


Clockwork Angel

by MysticalAuthoress



Category: The Last Story
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Sex, M/M, Marriage of Convenience, The Last Story spoilers, incubus!Asthar, takes place post The Last Story, which mirania and others ends up trying to prevent from actually happening
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-03
Updated: 2018-05-13
Packaged: 2019-04-18 22:22:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 24,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14223057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MysticalAuthoress/pseuds/MysticalAuthoress
Summary: Mirania ends up in a world of clocks, of automatons, and alternate versions of friends and enemies both alive and dead. Trying to find her way back to her own world, however, isn't the hard part. It's interacting with all said alternate versions that gets to her, personally. And perhaps, her presence in their world is tougher to take than it seems...





	1. Quarter to nine

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own the Last Story. Also, this is crossposted from fanfiction.net!
> 
> Warning: AU, takes place post-game, possible spoilers, violence, eventual pairings
> 
> I hope you that you enjoy reading this and constructive criticism and reviews are appreciated! Thanks! XD

Mirania blinked, looking around.

What in the world was going on? What was she doing sitting on the ground in the middle of the marketplace, in Lazulis City? How did she even get here? Did she fall asleep while getting booze for Syrenne and Lowell's new bar, or...

Wait. Wait a second, wait a minute. The nature mage got onto her feet, looking down to realize that she was wearing her nightgown.

Nope. She'd fallen asleep in her room, she remembered, lounging around in her bed and reading. She'd been reading a recently-published book about the Vono Islands' history to see if there were any herbs there that would be useful for her growing business as a doctor of sorts. She'd been living with Syrenne and Lowell for the time being, helping out at their bar on occasion while treating other people in Lazulis City when they needed help.

Yurick had also been living with Syrenne and Lowell, though he had plans to go back to the village where he lived in his childhood and show the surviving villagers that his father was anything but a coward, that he and his crew at sea sacrificed their lives to save the village from an even greater bad than pirates attacking.

But right now, right  _now,_ Mirania had no idea where she was.

This Lazulis seemed different. Looking up, she noticed something different about the buildings. There was less brick that actually made these buildings. Instead, vast carvings of clicking gears, steel, glass—that was what made up those buildings. A huff of steam appeared at her left, and she looked in that direction to see some sort of carriage wheeling by her, steam coming out from the metal horses that pulled it.

That helped a lot. She knew now that she couldn't possibly be in Lazulis at all.

"Excuse me?"

Mirania turned to her left to see none other than a familiar figure appear, but he wasn't walking with a cane, which was the notable thing, but he was still limping. The wavy, blond hair with bangs partially clipped back was also familiar, trailing over his shoulders like a lion's mane. The metal left leg and arm was also familiar, but the clothing differed just a little bit. The usual white lacy scarf was now a bright scarlet, a black cross imprinted on it. His black tailcoat trailed off into the slight breeze as he approached her, the shirt underneath the black waistcoat a sullen grey, and the rest of his attire was just as saddening to eye, as if he'd just went to a funeral.

But this man—this man was supposed to be  _dead._

The nature mage stared at him quietly, words escaping her lips before she could stop them.

"Count Arganan?"

The man ( _was it really Count Arganan? He was supposed to be dead!_ ) stopped in his tracks and just stared at her.

"What?" He sputtered, as if not expecting her to speak. "A-Arganan is my family name. Did you hear of me from others in the city...?" He trailed off slowly, his facial expression turning to suspicion.

Mirania gasped, shaking her head. The thing she didn't want was to accidently turn help away. "N-no, I haven't, I just, um, I knew someone who looks exactly like you. Almost exactly like you," She corrected herself, "And he was dead...er, I mean, he died. In a war."

That was technically telling the truth, right? Keep it simple, and things don't get weird. Not too weird anyway, she hoped.

The Arganan standing in front of her sighed, fully approaching her. "I see." He looked around, wincing slightly after he opened up a pocketwatch he held in a hand, gazing at it before looking up at her. "I can't just leave you wandering out here in a place you don't know. It's quarter to nine and it'll get dark soon. Perhaps you'd like to, well, come stay at my manor tonight? Though I understand if you refuse. It's all very sudden to you, I assume, to end up here."

Mirania observed him quietly, thinking. He was a lot easier to talk to in this world. Back in the other world, he wouldn't have listened to people of no status like her, or even his own niece...

This Arganan was a little different, that was for sure. And seemingly kinder too. Perhaps she would try to befriend him, because it was always good to be on good terms with people instead of giving people the cold shoulder.

She smiled at him. "Sure. I wouldn't mind staying at your manor for the night, mister, uh..."

He smiled at her slightly. "Just call me Arganan if it helps."

She nodded. "Thank you."

"And..." He paused. "What is your name?"

She blinked. There wasn't an alternate version of her in this world? Weird. Well, it did explain the awkwardness. There must be no Mirania like her that lived here in this world that this alternate Arganan knew of. "Mirania. My name is Mirania."

The two went to his manor, walking through winding alleys, past people with such odd clothing (they all seemed to have gears or had some kind of mechanism on their apparel, somehow). The walk was not too long, thankfully, and they got inside before it was too dark. He seated her in a living room, sitting down opposite her after he ordered what looked like people at first but then at next sight were actually metal beings shaped like humans, as she discovered with much surprise, to fetch them some tea.

"So," Arganan started, facing her. "Do you know how you ended up here?"

Mirania shook her head, trying to think. "No, I don't know. I remember falling asleep..." She then blushed, remembering she was still in her nightgown. No wonder she felt cold while walking to the manor! "And then I woke up outside, and then you found me. That's all."

"Hm." Arganan looked like he was thinking, just as the metal servants returned with a tray with empty teacups and a steaming teaport. One of the servants poured the tea into the cups, handing one cup to Mirania and another to Arganan. He looked to the servants quietly. "Get Therius and Asthar here at once." He spoke to them, and they nodded, walking out of the room. He then looked to Mirania. "I unfortunately have no knowledge as of what means you took to accidentally get here, but perhaps there is a way to send you back. I'll have to look into it. In the meantime, you can stay here for now if you'd like."

Mirania nodded, sipping her tea. "Thank you, Arganan. I really appreciate this."

Arganan nodded quietly, sipping his tea. "You're welcome. If you have any questions about this world, just ask. Or if I'm not available..."

That was when two men walked in. Mirania looked to them, her breath hitching slightly in surprise. Their clothing was different, simpler, with no armor attached, but the men were still Therius and Asthar. The white hair and emerald eyes on one and the brown hair and long scar over the other's eyes were unmistakable.

"Just ask Asthar and Therius here." Arganan finished, looking to them. "Therius, Asthar, this is Mirania. She's ended up here somehow with no idea as of how she got here, and she'll be staying here for now until she finds a way back home. Until then, I expect you both to make sure she's not in any danger." He raised an eyebrow. "You'll do that, yes?"

The Asthar look-alike ( _Shouldn't he be dead too!?_  Mirania thought quietly, but then remembered that she was in an alternate world and therefore he could still exist as a living being) nodded. "Of course, sir." He spoke in response. He made eye contact with the nature mage, the two giving each other insecure gazes before Mirania broke it off, feeling entirely awkward and strange.

The way Asthar looked at her seemed like he'd recognized her from some near-forgotten fairytale, as if she were some sleeping beauty that suddenly got up and began walking and talking after years of slumber and he just happened to be one of her close friends or something.

It was very strange, indeed. After she broke off the gaze, Asthar simply looked away, as if to apologize for staring. She looked ot him again, as if to reassure him that it was okay, that she felt weird about it too.

The alternate Therius was just awkwardly staring at the both of them, then at Arganan, then at Asthar and Mirania again. Mirania couldn't help but feel her face heat up out of embarassment. "Uh...sorry if I'm just making it awkward." She managed awkwardly.

"It's fine." Arganan managed quietly, biting his lower lip. "Really, it's fine...I think." He looked to Therius. "Can you take Mirania to a guest room so she may rest?"

Therius nodded. "Yes..." After saying goodnight and one final thank you to Arganan, Mirania began to follow Therius down the hallway, up the stairs. The two were silent, until the nature mage remembered the metal servants.

"Um, Therius?"

The white knight (no, just simply a white-haired man, as this Therius was no knight from his appearance) turning to face her, stopping in his tracks just as they arrived at the door to a guest room for her. "Yes, Miss Mirania?" His voice was stoic and disciplined, just like the Therius back in her own world, with that same formality echoing in his veins.

Mirania made sure to make proper eye contact with him (for even  _this_  Therius had one eye covered by the bangs of his hair). "Are you and Asthar the only servants here that aren't made of metal?"

Therius nodded. "Yes, Miss Mirania. Asthar and I are the only servants that are actually human. The rest are automatons, created by Arganan himself, though Asthar and I have helped him repair them from time to time. Do they concern you?"

"Well..." She frowned. "Isn't it lonely, living with nothing but automatons What about other people? Do you have any friends of the sort?"

The white knight ( _no, not white knight,_  Mirania corrected herself, _white-haired man_ ) looked a little saddened by that. "I don't exactly have that many friends. Asthar is a father to me, and Arganan is a good master, but...friends, well, I don't really have any. Not many anyway. It shouldn't concern you, Miss Mirania."

Mirania nodded. "I see. Well, you can always talk to me if you'd like. And I'll probably end up asking you, Asthar and Arganan a lot of questions. There is a lot I need to know about this world, after all."

He smiled at that, just briefly but gently. "Thank you, Miss Mirania. I appreciate it..." He looked to the door. "You can sleep in here for the night. If there is anything you need, just ring the bell in the room and either Asthar, me or one of the automatons will come and see what needs you must have attended to."

Mirania nodded, smiling. "Thank you, Therius."

He nodded, turning to leave. "You're welcome, Miss Mirania, and..." He looked to her again, one last time. "Thank you." He then left, walking down the hallway to attend to whatever duties he might have next.

The nature mage went into her room right away to notice, first that there were plants hanging all around her room, a small potted shrub in one corner while there was a spider plant hanging from the ceiling. The bed was large, with incredibly fluffy and lacy covers, and there were even curtains that she could pull to cover the bed to provide extra shade of sorts. Two doors were nearly adjacent to each other, one of them leading to a small bathroom while the other led to a balcony. It was a rather roomy, er, room, and it was all very charming. She liked this guest room.

Sitting on the bed, she realized that the fabric of these covers, the pillows...she could trace the ornate yet simple designs on them. She lay on the bed quietly, pulling the covers over herself. As if on cue, the lights suddenly turned off to reveal that the plants emitted a gentle glow, keeping the room dimly lit but dark enough so that she could sleep peacefully.

Perhaps this place was really magic. Or maybe just a dream. She smiled, falling asleep after a few moments...

...barely noticing the  _tick-tock_ of the lantern clock hanging on the wall opposite her.


	2. Quarter after seven

Mirania could smell sweet blueberry and lemon scones as she woke up, and just the hint of a rather fragrant green tea to go with it. It smelled very delicious, really, and she sat up in bed, rubbing her eyes with her hands for a moment before looking in front of her. On a table just a few feet away from the bed, there was a sealed envelope resting against an empty glass. A small, steaming teapot was placed beside the glass, with a plate of toast, breakfast sausages and strawberries with it.

The nature mage grinned at the sight of food, feeling her stomach grumble with delight, and she was pretty sure she was salivating a bit. She quickly hopped out of bed, approaching the table quickly and sitting in front of it, grabbing the knife and fork that was resting beside the plate of food and ready to eat. She then looked to the letter, and guessed it was probably impolite to eat all the food before opening the envelope, so she set down the knife and fork before grabbing the envelope, opening it up and reading the letter inside.

_Miss Mirania,_

_I hope you slept well. I thought I'd write you this letter as I unfortunately am mostly occupied for most of the day today. Since I am occupied, if you do wish to go outside and explore a bit I would recommend you bring either Asthar, my niece Calista or Therius with you for your safety, since it is only your second day here in this world. I would find it wholly unfortunate if you ended up getting lost. You can also ask any of the three or the automaton servants that will be around the manor for any questions_

_However, if you do have any pressing questions you must absolutely ask me in particular about, then I will most likely be in my study on the floor just above your room or in the basement laboratory. I hope you have a good day, and please do be careful if you do go out._

_—Lucius Arganan_

Mirania smiled a bit as she put the letter down, picking up her knife and fork and starting to eat the food in front of her before it got too cold. It was nice of Arganan to leave her a note so she knew who to ask for help at the moment. Devouring her breakfast in record time ( she had to admit it was a very tasty breakfast), she wiped her mouth with a napkin provided when she heard knocking at the door. The nature mage stood, walking over to the door and opening it to see none other than what looked like none other than Lady Calista back in her world.

"C-Calista?"

The Calista look-alike blinked. "You know my name? Oh, wait, I remember—Uncle told me that you came from a world where there were people that looked like us. I see." She smiled at her a little. "I just came up here to say good morning to you. You slept well, I hope?"

Mirania nodded, smiling. "I did, thank you." She had to remember that the people around her in this world were not exactly like the people back in her own world. Maybe the Calista in this world had better relations with her uncle! That would be interesting to see. "Did you sleep well?"

Calista nodded, smiling gently. "I did, thank you..." She then frowned. "Uncle's been trying to research to find a way back for you to your own world since last night. I worry for him. I mean," She looked up at her, "It's not like I want you out of this world as soon as possible—you're nice and all—but I worry that my Uncle will overwork himself. He tends to do that when he focuses on working on things in his laboratory. He rarely goes outdoors once he gets his hands on a project, not even outside the lab."

Mirania frowned at this. "Do you think I should go see him?"

Calista looked to the clock. "It's only quarter after seven in the morning right now. He might still be asleep, or awake and exhausted from working all night. I don't know if it's the best idea to see him now. Maybe later?"

The nature mage bit her lower lip. So much for this world seeming slightly better in terms of relationships with people. Making others worry wasn't exactly a good thing to do...

She thought about it for a moment, before speaking. "I think I'd like to speak to him." Mirania managed after a moment. "I need to ask him a question."

Did she really have to absolutely ask him a question? Yes. No. Maybe. She wasn't sure. But why was he throwing all his energy into helping her despite just meeting her for the first time, then? She had to know that, and only Arganan could answer the question.

The two went down the stairs, making their way to the basement. Just as they approached the top of the staircase leading down the basement, both of them could hear voices.

_"Why do this?"_

The unknown voice seemed to purr, as if taunting whoever he was speaking to.

_"You only met her only this past evening and yet you throw your energy into a project as elaborate as this? Have you become so mellow in your old age...?"_

_"Shut up,"_ Arganan snapped in answer, and some soft clicking could be heard a second after that.  _"I will have you know I have my guards up—especially around you of all people. It's unnatural for anyone to walk into this world from an alternate world. Mirania is the first case in, what, possibly over thirty years?! Any machines that were previously used for transporting people back to their own world have decayed, rotted, and rusted down to nothing by now. I have to make a new one, Zesha. I can't just say no to someone who wants to go back to their world. It's part of my duty. I'm not allowed to say no to that."_

Laughter echoed softly as Mirania slowly made her way down the stairs. Calista said something, but Mirania ignored it as she opened the door to reveal two figures, both standing at a table. However neither of them took notice of Mirania. Arganan stood there, glaring at the other—

And it was none other than  _Zesha_ standing beside him, smirking. He crossed his arms against his chest, chuckling a little. "You claim that it's all 'part of your duty' but I see more than that." He taunted. "Are you already enamored with her? A young, pretty lady like her?" He gave a dramatic gasp. "Oh, how scandalous!" He cried out, before bursting into laughter, one of his fingers pointing at him. "D-dirty old pervert, aren't you—"

Arganan leaned forwards, growling as he bit Zesha's pointing finger, teeth digging into the skin. Zesha yelped in surprise and a little pain, but Arganan took his sweet time to lick off a drop of blood from the small wound, before pulling back, releasing him from his bite.

"Don't," Arganan stated, giving him a wicked glare, "Mess with this project. I'll give you hell for it."

Zesha merely smirked. "Whatever you say, oh-so-great old pervert." He then vanished into nothingness.

Arganan let a breath escape his mouth before his one good eye widened, realizing that Mirania and Calista had been watching. "Calista—Mirania—" He started, nearly panicking straightaway, "I...that was..."

Mirania decided immediately that now was not a good time to ask. She'd ask him later. "I just thought I'd say good morning," She managed quietly.

Arganan nodded quietly. "I-I see. Well, thank you, and good morning, Mirania. Are you going out with Calista?"

Mirania nodded, smiling at Calista who looked a little confused. "Yes, I will be."

"Good." He smiled awkwardly, and the nature mage was unsure whether he was trying to cover up mortification or embarrassment. Probably both. "I would advise you both come back by six tonight, sharp. It gets dangerous in the evening especially. Please be careful."

"I will, thank you. See you later." Mirania quickly walked out of the room, followed by Calista who gently grabbed her arm.

"I-I thought you wanted to ask my uncle a question." Calista stated, surprise in her voice.

Mirania shook her head as she turned to her. "No. I...I think I'll ask him later."


	3. Half past ten

"What did you want to ask my uncle about, Mirania?"

Calista had been showing Mirania around the city (the same name as Lazulis, but far different looking with steam-powered automatons and such), until curiosity got the best of Calista. It completely reminded Mirania of when she met Calista in her own world as 'Lisa' back then—having not much concept of money and things outside the castle, but still wishing to go explore the world anyway./p

"Well..." The nature mage was hesitant to respond. She didn't want to upset this alternate Calista by accident because she was curious about Arganan. She'd meant to simply say hello but as soon as she saw him with the alternate Zesha earlier she knew that she had to ask him something. Just not right then at that moment.

She then decided to speak up, looking to Calista. "Well, I was wondering...I was planning to just say good morning and hello but then I saw him with Zesha...what kind of relations do they have with each other? Are they enemies? Your uncle mentioned something about 'keeping his guard up,' Calista."

Calista sighed. "They're not complete enemies, but they're not completely friends either. Zesha just likes to be around my uncle to mess with him at times. I'd avoid him and his brother Zepha if possible if I were you. They're just always up to no good."

Mirania nodded quietly, listening. From what it sounded like, at least it wasn't like the humans and Gurak were trying to slit each other's throats. But she supposed the tension here between humans and Gurak still weren't too great, either. But at least it was better than war.

"Aaaaaahhhhh!"

A scream came from their left, and Mirania gasped as she looked in that direction. Two young men, about her and Calista's age or just a bit older barely managed to dodge an automaton horse that went on rampage mode, it seemed. The horse was whinnying and bucking everywhere as the two tried to get it under control.

"CALM DOWN!"

"Yurick, screaming at the horse isn't helping!"

"Dagran, you're screaming too!"

"AUGH!"

Mirania gasped, rushing over to them. This could  _not_ be good. "Is there any way I can help!?"

The two turned to face her, and she immediately realized that they both looked almost exactly like Yurick and Dagran. These two must be alternate versions of her friends in this world, just like the alternate Arganan, Asthar, Therius and Calista she was currently living with.

But that didn't quite matter right now. She had to help them! And most importantly, calm down the horse or stop it from rampaging.

Dagran winced, looking tot he horse. "S-sorry about the disturbance," He managed, "Our stallion's gone a bit crazy. I think Zoran charged it too much earlier this morning. The problem is, it's either we wait for it to expend all its energy until it's all worn out, or..."

Mirania looked to the horse. "He or she looks confused..." She looked to Dagran. "Can magic still affect automatons?"

"Erm, well..." Yurick blinked. "Yeah. To some extent, strangely enough. Why?"

Mirania just took that as a cue to rush to the horse, using her healing magic to try to soothe the horse. "It's okay...it's okay. You're okay." She managed softly. "It's going to be okay. Please calm down..."

The horse whinnied gently, calming down. Its bucking about ceased, and it went into a slow trot in a circle as she grabbed its reins, leading it about quietly before looking to Dagran and Yurick. "I think she's a lot calmer now."

Both the alternate Dagran and Yurick looked impressed.

"Wow." Yurick managed. "That was quick. Thanks so much..."

The nature mage smiled at them. "You're welcome."

Dagran looked to Calista, then to Mirania. "Calista, who is she? Don't think I've seen her before."

Calista smiled. "Dagran, this is Mirania. She ended up coming here from another world by accident and she's living with me until she finds a way back. Mirania—" She looked to Mirania. "This is Dagran and Yurick. They're friends of mine from childhood..."

They knew each other from that far back? That never happened back where Mirania was.

"Ooh!" She gasped. She KNEW that smell. It had to be glorious, delicious, the divine scent of...

Food.

And Mirania loved food. She really did.

So she ended up rushing off in the direction of tasty food. She thought she heard Calista shouting something but Mirania didn't have enough time to make any sense out of it. If it was coming from a food stall, perhaps she could buy some! Lucius gave her some money shortly before she left with Calista(via Therius, of course as Arganan was busy), so she could easily buy food for herself!

That was when she stopped in her tracks. She could see the food, sweet freshly-baked cinnamon buns...

And Zesha was standing right at the stand, having just bought one.

Wait, no. It wasn't the alternate version of Zesha.

It was the alternate version of  _Zepha_ , standing there. He casually bit into his cinnamon bun. It felt weird seeing him do this, especially since back in her own world that they were enemies. But here in this world, things were obviously different. Zepha looked up and noticed Mirania, smiling slightly.

"Oh?" He spoke, having just finished that bite of his cinnamon bun. "So you're here of all places. Do you have a thing for food?"

Mirania looked to him quietly, approaching him. He seemed alright enough right now, and she had a feeling that he wouldn't be likely to attempt murder on her anytime soon. He was an  _alternate_ version of him, after all.

"Yes, I do." She admitted. "I'm Mirania, I just came into this world by accident.."

Zepha chuckled slightly at that, taking another bite out of his cinnamon bun. "I know. My brother told me earlier. Said he caught a glimpse of you earlier this morning..." He noticed her salivating at the smell and sight of the cinnamon bun in his hand, and he extended it to her. "Do you want some? You certainly look hungry," He teased softly.

Mirania gasped, feeling her face heat up. "Um, er, I-I can get one myself, thanks..."

He chuckled, making a sideways glance to the stand. "Go ahead and get one for yourself. I'll wait here."

Mirania nodded, rushing to the stand and thankfully getting one very quickly. Paying for it, she already began munching on it as she went back to Zepha.

"Thank you for waiting for me." She managed in-between bites. Eating and talking at the same time wasn't too good a forte for her.

Zepha smiled. "You're welcome, Mirania." He cooed. He chuckled slightly. "My name is Zepha, if you don't know."

He seemed nicer in this world. Then again, Mirania had only seen the angry side of him back in her own world, before Yurick killed him. Maybe Zepha and Zesha had nice sides back then and it got all covered up with hatred for humans...but there was no knowing now.

She thought for a moment. "You said you heard of me from Zesha, right? I'm just wondering—what kind of relations does your brother and Lucius have with each other?"

"Oh?" Zepha's curiosity was piqued, and he promptly changed the subject. "You're already adressing Arganan by his first name. Fascinating."

"He doesn't mind..." She trailed off awkwardly. What was with the whole thing between the Gurak brothers and Arganan? She had some idea from Calista, but probably not the whole idea.

Zepha grinned, finishing his cinnamon bun and wiping his sticky fingers with a handkerchief. "Perhaps he does hold an interest in you. Probably not perverted, despite my brother's suspicions." He cackled slightly at this. He looked to a nearby clock hanging from a shop's sign. "Ah, it's half past ten. I have an appointment." He then looked to her again, smiling. "I trust we'll meet again sometime?"

Mirania nodded. "Um, yeah." She smiled at him gently. "I guess I'll see you sometime."

He smiled a bit, turning to leave. "See you...Mirania." He then walked away, vanishing into the crowd.

She had to think for a moment. This alternate Zepha definitely seemed calmer and nicer than alternate Zesha. Maybe it was a twin thing that they have differing behaviours. She wasn't quite sure.

She then looked to the clock, then to her cinnamon bun, which she finished eating, before realizing something.

She basically left Calista, Dagran and Yurick in the dust when she went to get food.

...They might be angry/confused about it.

Oh dear.

Mirania looked around, before noticing a nearby alley. She coudl go through there and maybe find Calista and the others! She decided to take the chance, hoping that it wouldn't turn into the spider incident where she nearly got eaten by a Spider after trying to find the Guardian on an island...

As she walked into the alley, she noticed things. Things like how dirty it was, how sad it looked. Discarded automatons leaned against the wall, fated to never tick or move or flash any lights ever again.

And in the midst of those automatons was Asthar, kissing a young lady rather passionately. Mirania couldn't believe the sight, but she ducked behind a few automatons to stay hidden, just so she wouldn't be seen. Asthar had his hand on the woman's hip, the other, caressing her face sweetly as he kissed her, pushing her against the wall, the skirt of her dress hiked up...

Mirania honestly never thought that any alternate (or original) version of him would do this. Why was he doing it...?

She looked up to see Asthar reclothing himself, and he kissed the woman gently as he helped her straighten out her clothing.

"I trust that you enjoyed it?" He spoke softly to her. THe woman was blushing shyly, nodding a little in response. He smiled reassuringly at her, before kissing her forehead, whispering to her.

_"Forget."_

Her eyes went blank, and she would have tumbled to the ground if he didn't catch her in his arms. He gently lowered her to the ground, gazing at her gently. A sigh escaped him.

"Well, that's certainly more than I  _needed_." He murmured to himself. "Should have stopped after the fir—"

That was when Mirania, trying to sneak away, knocked over a lifeless automaton. She gasped, but then put a hand to her mouth, but it was too late.

"Miss Mirania...?"

Mirania knew she had to run for it. She got up, rushing through the alley, nearly tripping over her feet as—

She would feel Asthar pull her back by the wrist gently, but firmly, and she turned to face him.

"Miss Mirania," He spoke, "What did you see?"

Mirania winced at the firm grip, trying to pull away. "A-Asthar, I didn't-"

A look straight into her eyes silenced her. Asthar's eyes were not full of rage, but he had no intention of letting her go either.

"Please don't lie to me, Miss Mirania."

His voice formed that into a commanding tone, rough with determination to see right through her.

_"What_  did you see?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CLIFFHANGER! XDDDD Thank you, all of you, for reading and reviewing! XD


	4. Five after five

"I saw you having sex with that woman just now!"

Mirania had to blurt it all out. If Asthar had caught her, she might as well tell the truth. Telling a lie to him was a fly trying to get out of a spider's web—a vain, useless attempt to escape the situation.

She was scared to look up at him. She was sure he was angry.

"Miss Mirania," Asthar spoke, his voice calm, "You can look up at me. No need to be so frightened. I'm not going to harm you."

Mirania nodded, looking up at him. Asthar looked calm, but his eyes looked almost worried, scared of scaring her.

"I was hoping to hide this from you the entire time you were here," Asthar continued, "But I suppose I should tell you since you've seen me." He leaned against the wall, and Mirania leaned against the wall too, standing beside him. He took a deep breath before speaking.

"I'm an incubus."

Mirania blinked. "An incubus?" She repeated.

He nodded, looking to her. "Yes. I am—a being that needs to feed on the sexual energy of others, to have sex with those others to gain energy and power. Unlike most incubi, however, I am more than able to restrain myself from going and shagging everyone all the time. Unfortunately, I still need to feed on the energy from time to time and so, well—" He looked to the sleeping woman sheepishly, "I usually prey on Arganan but I know he's busy, so I had to resort to, er...having sex with others. I just went to a tavern and charmed the young lady you saw me doing it with this time around."

Mirania blinked. "Okay..." She looked to the woman. "Will she be alright? I mean, she could remember...what if she gets pregnant?"

Asthar shook his head. "That won't happen. Incubi are incapable of impregnating anyone who they just have a casual or one-time thing with. They used to be able to, back in ancient times, but very powerful magic changed that so it didn't happen. Anyway, going back to my case...she won't even remember the sexual encounter I had with her. Or even meeting me before that. She'll forget all of that."

Mirania blinked. "Why would you make them forget? I mean, I suppose it's for your own safety, but why else...?"

Asthar bit his lower lip. "It's better for them to forget." He looked to Mirania again. "I would do the same for Arganan, but we have sex frequently enough already that he would find out anyway even if I did make him forget every single time after we had sex. We're fine with the arrangement. I feed on his energy, I don't go having sex with too many other people, and he lets me live in his house and I serve him in exchange. Moving it to something more intimate...more romantic, however, is awkward. We can barely look each other in the eye if we try to say things like "I love you" or something affectionate like that. We just keep it to a sexual thing."

Mirania wasn't sure how to comment on that. She nodded quietly, listening. "I see..."

Asthar chuckled sadly, leaning against the wall, looking off into the distance. "Does it bother you, Miss Mirania? Does it disgust you, even, that I'm an incubus? Someone that just...has to have casual sex?"

From the look in his eyes, it was probably something he'd heard over and over again, that he was disgusting due to his nature.

Mirania shook her head, looking up at him. "No, Asthar. It doesn't bother or disgust me that you have to do that. You're...you're you, Asthar. Being an incubus alone doesn't make up who you are."

Asthar's eyes widened at that briefly, and he was silent until a soft smile appeared on his face.

"Thank you, Miss Mirania." He spoke up. "I...I appreciate it."

She smiled at him. "You're welcome, Asthar."

* * *

Therius sat across Mirania, watching her chow down all her food. He blinked.

"Miss Mirania, do you need more food? I can go get some if you like..."

"Oh!" Mirania blushed slightly—she forgot sometimes how much she could eat in one sitting. "Oh, no, I think I'll be fine after this much pasta." She managed, smiling. "But thank you for offering, Therius."

Therius smiled sheepishly. "You are welcome, Miss Mirania..." He looked to the small pile of plates behind him (all of them having food on them once but were all eaten up by Mirania). He didn't think she had that huge of an appetite, but he supposed he was mistaken.

Therius was eating dinner with Mirania right now, as Arganan was working on things and so ordered Therius to eat with Mirania instead.

The white-haired companion swallowed a bite of his pasta before speaking. "Asthar told me that you found out about his...incubus nature." he said the last two words hesitantly.

Mirania nodded. "Yeah, I did." She responded. "I guess you know about it too?"

"Yes," Therius replied, "I already knew. I also know about his and Arganan's...intimate relationship with one another." He looked like he might wince, but managed to hold back. "I'm going to be honest about it—I don't necessarily approve of the casual sex, but I'm not going to cause a fuss about it. Asthar can't help it being an incubus and all, and it's probably safer for him to limit himself to one person than to go spreading the sex around everywhere. I just worry that there will be negative repercussions for both Arganan and Asthar to be involved in such a relationship of sex with no strings attached."

"Like..." Mirania tried to think of how, but her mind was failing her at the moment. "Like what?"

"Shame, maybe. For themselves. Not only if too many people found out, but even on their own. What if one of them fell in love with someone else entirely and married them for example? Then they'd have to break off their relationship but they'd live with that shame inside that the one they married was not their first."

Mirania wasn't sure what to respond to that. So, she changed the subject.

"Therius?"

He looked up from sipping his glass of water. "Yes, Mirania?"

"Did you and Asthar ever meet before you both started working for Arganan?"

Therius blinked, putting down his glass before speaking. "Erm, yes. Actually...Asthar's my godfather."

Mirania gazed at him. "Really?" She asked.

He nodded. "Yes. My parents—they died in a carriage accident—the automaton horse pulling it malfunctioned. I was with them, and I was the only survivor." He flipped up his white bangs, revealing a scar just above his left eye. "This...is the reminder from the accident." He let the bangs fall back down, lowering his hand back to the table. "Asthar has cared for me since, and I appreciate everything he's done for me."

Mirania nodded, listening. "How did you two end up working for Arganan?"

Therius smiled a little. "I actually defended Calista from being hit by a carriage, several years back. After Arganan found out about that, and also about the fact that Asthar was an incubus, he basically hired us immediately and we've been with him since."

_Wow._

This world really was different, wasn't it? Mirania wondered how different this world was from her home world.

In the next little while, she would find out.


	5. Noontime

Mirania rushed about the market, hoping to find the tea shop. "Tea, tea.." She murmured softly to herself. "Where could it be?"

She felt bad about just simply staying in Arganan's house and not being able to really repay him for it. So, she thought she would just make herself useful in the house while she was staying there. She was sure Arganan would appreciate it, what with him being busy putting together the machine that would bring her back to her world and all.

"Looking for something?"

The sudden, new voice came out in a purr, and she turned, realizing that none other than Zesha and Zepha standing together, both gazing at her with smiles on their faces. It must have been Zepha that spoke, because Zesha spoke up next and she noticed that their voices, though similar, held slight but indeterminable differences to them.

"The tea shop is over there." Zesha spoke, pointing to Mirania's immediate left. "Just thought you'd want to know."

She blinked, approaching them. "Zesha, Zepha, um...hello!" She managed, smiling at them a little. She'd never seen them together, though now she realized that they really were twins, with only slight differences in their appearances aside from the blue and red auras that glowed about them.

It made her think, for a brief moment, about the Zesha and Zepha back in her world. Zepha was dead, and Zesha was probably still grieving. The last time she'd heard of him, he was even wearing the mourning clothes, all his armor in black and grey.

Would these Gurak brothers in this world act the same if one or the other died? Mirania decided that it was best not to think about it for now.

_"Hello."_  Both twins replied, both grinning simultaneously. Both brothers had clothes on that looked on the, well, used side. There were small rips and patches here and there, and it was obvious they weren't wearing armor like the Zesha and Zepha in her own world. But otherwise they just seemed like _themselves_ , being the two twins they were, save for the fact that in this world they seemed a lot friendlier than in her world. Gurak and human tensions didn't seem too bad around here.

"Hello." She started, trying to think. "So, uh...how are you two doing?" She asked.

Zesha chuckled. "We are well, thank you. What about you?"

Mirania smiled, holding up a bag of groceries. "I'm fine, thank you. I'm just running some errands for Arganan..."

Zepha stared in surprise. "Oh? Really? Are you working for him...?" His voice trailed off in a teasing manner, a chuckle escaping him.

She couldn't help but blush, shaking her head. "Ah, no, I'm not. I just thought I'd help him out. I mean...it doesn't feel right to me just staying here for a while without doing anything to help out around here."

"I see..." Zepha's grin widened a little. "We were wondering, perhaps you would like to join us for tea tomorrow at eleven in the morning? We would like your company."

Mirania tried to think. Was there anything that she was going to be doing with anyone else tomorrow? Not that she could think of, no, except for maybe helping Arganan but then again he seemed to handle a lot on his own well enough. _..so..._

"Sure!" She smiled. "I'd love that."

* * *

"I wouldn't go if I were you."

"What?"

Mirania stared at Arganan, who put his tools down and walked over to her, running his metal hand through his long tresses of hair. Mirania figured she might as well tell Arganan that she was going to be out tomorrow with the twins just in case, but apparently he didn't like the idea.

"Why not?" Mirania asked, folding her arms together in front of her. "I don't see them planning on doing any harm with a tea party."

He sighed. "That's the problem. You don't know whether they cause trouble until it's too late." He looked saddened. "I lost my eye because of them."

Mirania frowned. "How..?"

The older man winced, looking down. "It's a story for another time." He responded, and the nature mage decided it was best to ask later.

* * *

The tea party was rather cute. There were frilled lace tablecloths and porcelain plates, teacups and teapots all over the table set for the occasion. Mirania had borrowed a dress from Calista, having had no time to go out and buy a dress the day before, but the cream-white lace dress fit her, and the flower prints on it were lovely.

"Beautiful." Zesha purred at the first sight of her. He looked happy, and the nature mage even noted that Zesha had swapped out his more grungier outfits she'd seen him in for something a bit more neat—which was a casual jacket over a plain shirt with slacks. It looked decent on him, and he looked more like a regular person, not the hard-hearted warrior Mirania met in battle long ago.

Zepha had also swapped out his patched outfit for attire similar to Zesha's own, and Mirania noticed that they wore pendants about their necks. "Indeed," Zepha spoke, grinning. "You are beautiful."

Mirania blushed slightly, nodding. "Thank you, both of you."

"There was someone else that came here before you, thirty years ago." Zepha spoke up, gazing at Mirania quietly as he sipped his tea. "She was older...said she wanted to find a way to save her land from an 'Outsider's' effects on her land and people."

Mirania blinked, looking up from eating a scone. An older woman who wanted to save her land from the Outsider? Did that mean...the Sorceress Calista and Zael told her about seeing in the Place of Secrets? It certainly sounded like her.

"Did she find a way?" She asked after swallowing the bite she'd taken out of her scone.

Zesha shook his head, swallowing a piece of a cucumber and ham sandwich he'd been eating. "No. She didn't, and subsequently wished to return afterwards to her land to find another way. Arganan made a device to send her back, but it broke immediately after she left."

Mirania nodded. "I see." She tried to think. "If Arganan made a device to bring her back before, maybe he's working on the same one to bring me back too."

She thought a little more about the Sorceress. The fact that she'd even tried to go to this world to find a way to send the Outsider back, before finally figuring it out back in her own world...it was impressive, and that the Sorceress must be powerful to be able to travel to this world.

Wait... _travel to this world?_  What if—

The nature mage looked up at them. "How did she get here? Do either of you know?"

Both twins shook their heads.

"No." Zepha spoke.

"We don't know." Zesha also responded.

Mirania winced. So much for trying to get a clue as of how she got here. "It's okay..."

Zepha noticed her expression, gently taking his hand in hers across the table. "Mirania?"

Mirania blinked in surprise, gazing at his hold on her hand, and then at him. "Yes, Zepha?"

Zepha innocently smiled at her before stating six words.

"I want you to be mine."

_Silence._

Zesha stared at Zepha in disbelief, until...

_"What!?"_  Zesha pushed Zepha out of the way, giving him a little glare. "I thought _I_  called dibs on her!"

"You didn't say it aloud." Zepha chastised, giving the other a look. "If you  _really_  want her, brother, you'll have to go through me!"

_"Really!? Fine!"_  There was a spark in Zesha's eyes as he took out one of his swords—the need to fight. "You're not getting her!"

Mirania was frozen for a second.  _That escalated quickly!_

"WAIT!"

She threw herself between them, pushing them both away from each other.

Both brothers simply stared at her, silent before realizing what she just did.

"What?" Both spoke at the same time, equally dumbfounded.

Mirania shook her head, crossing her arms as she looked at each of them. "I don't want either of you fighting over me!" She responded. "If you two start fighting, please consider your chances of being with me being  _nothing."_

She added in a small glare for extra emphasis, and she hated being a little mean but she really didn't want the two to just go fight over her.

Immediately Zesha and Zepha looked horrified.

"Oh..."

"Erm..."

"Alright." Both brothers finally managed, putting their weapons away.

"Brother?" Zepha spoke up.

Zesha immediately looked to him. "Yes?"

"We should share her." The other suggested. "That way we don't kill each other over her."

Zesha grinned, chuckling. "You're right! That's genius! We could _do_  that!"

It was now Mirania's turn to stare.

"Wait,  _wait!"_ She cut straight into it as soon as she could. "I-I'm not sure if I'm comfortable with this...this arrangement." She managed. Although she'd heard of non-monogamous relationships, she really wasn't interested.

Zesha stared. "So you want us to fight each other over you again?" He asked. "But I thought you said you didn't like it.."

Mirania shook her head, blushing. Were they  _seriously_  going to go through with this romantic threesome idea? "No, I don't want that either!"

"So you're fine with us sharing you." Zepha concluded, chuckling.

_"NO!"_  Mirania burst out, feeling herself blush even more than she ever thought she could blush. "I'm not okay with that either! It-it's just that I'm not ready for something like that right now at least. I just got into this world _three days ago!"_

Both brothers blinked, looking to each other quietly, and then spoke.

"Ah." Zesha murmured.

"True." Zepha responded.

"Hmm..."

Mirania sighed as she looked to the two brothers. A romantic polyamorous relationship between her and the twins? She was not interested, and frankly she felt that it would be awkward.

* * *

She went back to Arganan's manor after thanking the twins for a nice chat and some tea, thinking. She didn't want the two twins pining for her in such a way. She was NOT interested in them! Did everybody go head-over-heels for her at first sight or something once she fell into this world? It was weird.

It was _seriously weird._

Maybe it would be good to get out of this world as soon as possible. But just because there were people that were pining for he didn't mean she had to avoid them all the time. She could still be friends with the brothers, perhaps. That was a good possibility.

A sudden, surprised yelp interrupted her thoughts, and a mighty crash followed. Mirania winced, quickly rushing to the source of the sound—the basement. Arganan must have been working there all day. If he got injured...

"Arganan!?" She rushed down the stairs, careful not to trip and fall despite her speed. "Are you alright?"

A groan was her only reply as she entered the basement laboratory. A large pile of what seemed like metal scraps was sprawled all over the floor, and Arganan leaned against a desk, coughing into his palm. His clothes were singed just a tad, some of it entirely ripped (his shirt mostly), exposing scarred skin underneath.

"I-I...I'm fine." The older man managed sarcastically, looking up at her weakly. "Just screwed up the entire building of the portal that will bring you home, which means that it's going to take at least another week for me to order all the supplies and rebuild the portal." He looked down, shame evident in his voice. "I must apologize, Mirania."

Mirania gasped, rushing over to him and helping him stand properly. "No, Arganan...it's okay, really."

"It's not okay," The older man muttered softly, looking up at her. "It's not okay. I should be getting you back home. I mean...you have people back in your world, don't you?"

Mirania thought of Yurick, Lowell, Syrenne, everyone else...she nodded quietly. "I do have friends and family back there." She admitted quietly. "But in your state you need to rest. You're covered in soot and the place needs a cleanup."

Arganan chuckled weakly, grinning slightly. "Perhaps I should get changed..."

Mirania frowned, shaking her head. "More than just changing. You need to get a bath. I mean," She blushed slightly, "You don't smell  _bad_ , I'm not trying to say that, but I don't know if Calista or anyone else in the house likes the smell of soot on you. And what if you're injured? You should wash any wounds you might have sustained, also."

Arganan nodded, looking to her. "You have a point, and I suppose it would also be good for you to bathe after me. It's a warm day today..." He then went pale, then blushed slightly. "Um...problem is, I have to take off my mechanical limbs. And I can't do it by myself, and Asthar is usually there to help but he's out at the moment, so..." He took a deep breath, looking up at her. "Erm..."

Mirania blinked, staring, before realizing. "Oh." She managed. _"Oh."_

Arganan nodded, his face almost completely red by then. "Yes. Would you?  _Please?"_

* * *

The two sat in the bathtub, nude, making sure not to face each other after she helped Arganan disrobe and remove his mechanical limbs. She made a good job of not looking when she needed to, which was good. It would be awkward otherwise.

Then again it was awkward anyway. Though it was Arganan's fault for later suggesting they share the bath because since he was bathing and she had to help him get naked, she might as well do the same (at judging by how embarrassed he was at even suggesting it, Mirania figured that he was not a pervert but simply suggesting it to save time and effort, even if it wasn't really that time-saving). Mirania had agreed after much thinking—Arganan was no pervert and besides he lacked two limbs, technically.

As long as they didn't..look, it was okay.

"I'm really sorry about this." Arganan mumbled softly behind her. "I really am. I'm even starting to regret suggesting the bath arrangement."

Mirania couldn't help but feel heat creep towards her cheeks. "I-it's okay. Really, it is." She responded. "Um, can you pass the soap?"

"Yes." She looked to her left to see his one arm lay the bar of soap on the edge of the bathtub. "Here."

"Thanks." She took the bar of soap, still blushing. She'd taken baths with Syrenne before, that was fine, but sharing a bathtub with one of the opposite gender (let alone a version of Calista's dead uncle) was a bit weird.

If she wanted to bathe with either one of them, she'd bathe with Syrenne any day. Just mainly because it felt more comfy being with someone of the same gender in a bath together.

Though it wasn't too bad being in the bath with Arganan. It could be worse, she supposed.

Mirania took a deep breath, before putting the soap on the edge of the bath. "I'm getting out of the bath now. Once I've dried myself and got dressed I'll help you, okay?"

Arganan made a sound of confirmation. "Okay—"

That was when Asthar walked in.

"Arganan, I'm..."

He stared.

Silence.

Mirania and Arganan stared back.

Asthar let a low whistle escape him. "Well," He managed, "Should I leave?"

"Umm...yes." Mirania started, but then thought again— "Wait, no, don't leave. C-Can you help get Arganan out of the bath after I've gotten dressed?"

Asthar nodded quickly, chuckling as he noticed Arganan blushing with embarrassment. "I had the impression you swung only one way." He teased, a grin on his face.

Arganan scowled, giving him a mock glare. "Help me out of the bath, please." He managed weakly as Mirania quickly got out of the bath tub, reaching for the nearest towel. Wiping herself off quickly, she threw all her clothes as Asthar helped wrap Arganan with a towel and get him out of the bath.

Arganan blushed as Asthar handed him his clothes, Asthar acting as a shield so that Mirania wouldn't be able to see Arganan, and the nature mage was thankful for the incubus' presence.

"Thanks." Arganan was heard speaking, looking at Mirania. He blushed. "I know it was awkward...I apologize for the inconvenience."

Mirania simply tried to keep it cool and smiled right back at him.

"It's okay. And you're welcome."


	6. Ten past Six

"I still can't believe that happened!"

Calista was blushing a beet red as she said that to Mirania. The two were having dinner (as Arganan had apparently went back to work on things such as fixing up the machine to bring Mirania back home).

Mirania blushed, nodding. "Y-yes, I know..." She trailed off sheepishly. "I'm sorry. I should have probably thought about that possible consequence of Asthar walking in on us."

Calista sighed, eating a forkful of spaghetti before speaking up again. "It's fine, really. I'm glad you're willing to help but.."

"Should I just back off a little bit? Am I helping too much?" The nature mage inquired, looking down at her spaghetti and then up at Calista. "I mean..." She took a bite of spaghetti, swallowing beore speaking again. "I don't want to be a burden around this place while your uncle is building the machine that will take me home."

Calista sighed softly, nodding. "Well, my uncle and me both appreciate your help but you can relax a little, Mirania." She smiled softly at her in reassurance. "You could explore more, maybe make friends...how was Zesha and Zepha, by the way? Were they good to you?"

Mirania nodded. "Yeah..." She blushed, remembering the two brothers fighting over her briefly before deciding that they would share her. "Uh...maybe too nice. For some reason they're attracted to me."

Calista blinked in surprise. "Really? Interesting..." That was when the doorbell rang. "I'll get that." She went out of the room, leaving Mirania alone.

Mirania sighed, continuing to eat her food. Mind wandering to Asthar and Arganan, she wondered how they might feel for each other. Therius had been worried, and had expressed those worries about the relationship to Mirania, that they would feel shameful for it were they to fall in love with someone else because that someone else wouldn't be their first or anything.

" _Zangurak!"_

Mirania jumped at the sound of Calista yelling. Going silent, she swallowed the spaghetti she'd just forked into her mouth, listening.

" _Why are you here at this hour? I didn't send for you."_

" _I came of my own accord."_ A deep voice responded. Mirania shivered at the sound of it, remembering Zangurak back in her own world; how he'd manipulated Dagran and nearly killed Calista and Zael because of his ambition towards power, to be a god. But this Zangurak, Mirania figured, had to be at least a little different.  _"Considering that we are marrying within the next three months we should be seeing each other more often."_

" _Everyone knows our marriage is just for show. That it's only to try to bring some peace between both the human and Gurak residents of the city, Zangurak. We might as well just call it off."_ Calista sounded upset as she spoke. Mirania herself couldn't help but wince at it. Once again, it seemed that she was trapped in another loveless marriage arrangement.

" _We could always divorce a week later."_ Zangurak responded bluntly.  _"You know that."_

" _And make it all for nothing? Really?"_ Calista sighed.  _"Look, I don't have time for this argument right now. Can you leave? Please?"_

"… _Very well. But I will be back."_

The door shut and Calista walked back into the room, shaking her head.

"Apologies for that." She muttered. "That was Zangurak. I'm…getting married to him eventually. It's all for show, just to bring peace between the human and Gurak residents of the city, but I know it won't work."

"If you know that," Mirania spoke up, "Why not end the engagement before it's too late?"

"Because…" She sighed, looking down. "You know how my uncle is an inventor and all? Money…has been tight lately. It's not like he can go out and get a regularly-paid job because of his, erm, lack of limbs. Zangurak happens to be one of the richest people in this city, so part of it is for financial gain, unfortunately. If I backed out of it my uncle and I would be in a tight spot and that won't be good. I've been applying for jobs but I haven't gotten any yet. Asthar and Therius have gotten part-time jobs of their own aside from helping out here, but it hasn't helped much."

Mirania frowned. That definitely wasn't good. "Perhaps I could help out too while I'm here? I mean," She looked around, "I don't know how long I'll be in this world. And I don't want to be a burden on you all, either. While I'm still here, I should at least pitch in somehow."

"You're our guest, though." Calista spoke, shaking her head. "I can't just make you do that. I doubt my uncle would approve."

"If it's going to repay you for letting me stay here, I will do it." The nature mage responded. "I want to be helpful."

Calista seemed surprised still, but eventually she nodded.

"Okay, Mirania." She managed quietly. "We can start on working on an application after dinner."

Mirania smiled. "Thank you, Calista. I'll do my best to help out here…"

And she hoped that things could get better for them, too.


	7. Coffee?

"One hot chocolate mocha right here!"

Ariela (or at least it was an alternate Ariela, as Mirania was still not back home) grinned, taking the cup from Mirania. "Thank you!" She handed it to the customer after they paid for the drink. "I see you're getting the hang of getting all the warm drinks ready. Thank you for all the help."

Mirania smiled back at her quietly as she got a cup of coffee ready. "You're welcome, Ariela. I'm just thankful that you hired me…"

Mirania (with Calista's help) had gotten a job at a café not too far from Calista and her uncle's manor. Right now, Mirania was just working whatever hours were available for her…which was most of them. One of Ariela's past employees had gotten into a bit of an accident with the mechanical horses (and it was  _always_  the mechanical horses for some reason—a common occurrence, Mirania noted) so they needed some help anyway in the first place. And Mirania wanted to help out Calista and her uncle financially by at least paying a bit of rent to them (despite Arganan's objections, Mirania insisted with Calista's help) so they wouldn't go bankrupt over her and such.

"Mirania!" Ariela called to her. "I need you to prepare two peppermint hot chocolates and bring them over to table six, okay?"

"Okay!"

Preparing the peppermint hot chocolates as efficiently and quickly as she could, she put them on a tray, carefully carrying the tray out from behind the counter. Looking around, she spotted table six….

…which was exactly where Zesha and Zepha were sitting, both of them smiling as they saw her approaching.

Oh snap. Mirania hadn't talked to them since the tea party.

This was going to be awkward.

Taking a deep breath, she put on a smile and walked over to them.

"Here are your peppermint hot chocolates. I hope you enjoy!" She spoke, placing the cups of hot chocolate in front of them.

Zesha smiled softly, looking at her.

"Thank you." He whispered, before Zepha handed her what she thought was a tip.

"You're welcome." Mirania responded, keeping the smile on _. Keep the smile, keep the smile, don't be awkward about it…_ she tried to coach herself. She still found it a bit strange that the two brothers were even acting friendly to her, seeing as back in her own world the two would have probably wanted her dead (at least, during the war between Lazulis and the Gurak Continent). Turning and leaving them to go back to the counter, Mirania looked down at the tip in her hand and realized it wasn't a tip. Instead, it was a folded up note. She quickly returned to behind the counter, putting the tray down and opening up the note.

_Mirania,_

_Please meet us at Arganan's manor after you're done your work for today. We can talk to you there, and I don't think Arganan will mind our company._

_It's important._

_Very._

_-Zepha and Zesha_

_P.S. Zepha wrote this, not Zesha._

She couldn't help but giggle slightly at the last part of the note, but she blinked in surprise at the request for her to meet them at Arganan's house. Why there? She thought that Arganan didn't like them. Perhaps things had changed between them since then?

This was going to be interesting.

* * *

When Mirania arrived back at the manor after the shift, she walked into the kitchen to see both brothers already there.

"Hello." Both brothers greeted at once, giving her identical smiles. The two were probably trying to be friendly, she guessed, but at the same time it was still a bit eerie and strange.

"Hello." Mirania replied awkwardly, standing there. "May I ask why you came here specifically to see me? You could have invited me over for another tea party…"

"Well.." Both brothers looked a bit apologetic but both of them looked to each other, as if expecting the other to speak. After a moment, one of them did.

"We wanted to apologize for personally 'creeping you out' as Calista told us earlier when we were talking about you just yesterday." Zesha bluntly stated.

Mirania facepalmed herself, sighing. She figured  _something_ like this might happen.

"I forgive you both." She responded quietly, gently smiling back at them. "You both understand now that I don't want to be in a relationship with either of you romantically though, right?"

"Yes." Zepha responded quietly, nodding. "We both understand. We apologize for scaring you last time, and so…" He hesitated, before Zesha spoke.

"Will you come back to have tea with us again? Please?"

Both brothers were sincere, Mirania understood as she observed them. She smiled, nodding.

"Yes. I'll come back."

* * *

"Mirania I need coffee.  _Help._   _Please."_

Mirania blinked, turning to see Arganan literally drag himself into the kitchen (the two brothers had went home earlier after she let them stay for dinner). He threw himself into a chair, exhaustion in his features. Mirania felt a bit bad for him—he must have gone without sleep, rebuilding the machine that would send her back to her own world.

But coffee?  _Now?_  It was nearly midnight!

"I think what you seriously need," She stated as she looked to him, "Is a good night's sleep. You look like you haven't slept in three days."

"That's because I literally haven't slept in three days." Arganan responded, blearily looking up at her. "I-I want you to get back home. It's better for you there, and I can't imagine how much you miss your friends back there."

That was true. She did miss her friends very much. She missed Zael, Calista, Syrenne, Yurick, Therius, Lowell…even those that had died, such as Dagran and General Asthar. She missed them. She wasn't sure how long she'd been here in this other world now, but she just hoped the others were okay.

What if they were searching for her? Worrying about her? Believing she just ran off or something without telling them…?

No.

She felt her knees buckle and she grabbed onto the nearest chair, seating herself in it.

"You're right. Y-you're right about that…" She managed quietly, looking down. She didn't want her friends worried so much. She wanted to be with them again.

_She missed them so much. Even now, when she'd gotten used to being in this world, she still missed them._

She heard the creak of another chair dragged over to her, before Arganan sat down beside her.

"I...I didn't mean to upset you." He started, gazing up at her. He looked worried, despite his tiredness. "I'm sorry—"

"It's fine." She managed quietly, looking up at him. "But…even though I do miss them, I don't want you to have your health suffer because I want to go back, too. Your well-being matters as much as mine."

"Yours matters more than mine. Mirania," He smiled sadly, with a brief shake of his head, "I know you are so kind, and good to me as well as to practically everyone that's met you in this world. You're a healing mage from another place, trying to get back home. I'm an inventor that's already at home. I think you matter more right now."

That was  _sweet_ , she thought quietly. It was touching, knowing that he cared for her. In contrast, the Arganan back in her world wouldn't have cared much for her unless it would help him bring him power.

"What is like there? I'm just curious." Arganan asked. "Are there…other versions of us in your world? Like…me, for instance?"

…

_This_  was going to be the hard part.

Mirania took a deep breath, looking up at him again.

"You died in my world." She responded quietly. Honesty was the best policy—even if it hurt. "You were a Count that ruled Lazulis, and…and though you brought Lazulis prosperity, there was a lot of bad you did, too. I don't know the full details of what you did. And….I saw you die. You were trying to obtain power from the Outsider, and it killed you in retaliation because you angered it by trying to take its power."

So she omitted a few things. But she didn't want to tell him that the alternate him had hurt his niece, either.

Arganan's good eye widened, and then he heaved a soft sigh.

"That's the man I was back there?"

He bit his lower lip, then spoke again.

"It's hard to believe."

Mirania watched his face droop, and she frowned. Perhaps she shouldn't have even told him all that detail.

"It's hard to believe," Arganan repeated, gazing right into her eyes with his one working one, "Because I never thought an alternate version of me would dare think of doing that. How could I do that? That man…he's not me."

"And he definitely isn't you." Mirania responded, gazing right back at him. "Just because you two happen to be alternate versions of you doesn't mean you're the same as each other."

"Good." He took a deep breath, looking to Mirania. "After I died in your world…was Calista happier? Because I wouldn't be there to hurt her?"

"Well…" She took a deep breath. "She misses you in that world. She wishes you two could be closer, in that alternate world. But she's happier too—not because you're dead, though. That's not why."

"I see." He was silent for a moment, letting the words register. Mirania wondered if he'd be okay, knowing all this.

And then he smiled.

"Well…if she's happy in the end, that's good. I'm glad she is."

She wasn't sure what to say, other than "You have a point," for that.

* * *

"You managed to get him to sleep?"

Mirania nodded, closing Arganan's bedroom door behind her and turning to see Asthar. "I did," She responded quietly. "He was going to try to stay up all night, but I convinced him to get some rest." She sighed. "He asked me about what he was like in my world. He wasn't too happy, but…I had to tell him the truth."

"Was I a better person in your world, Miss Mirania?" Asthar asked.

Oh no. Now  _he_  was curious. But she didn't really want to go through another long, revealing talk. As much as she wanted to, she was physically (and mentally, from all that talking with Arganan) exhausted.

Mirania looked up at Asthar quietly. "You weren't an incubus, but you were a General." She responded quietly. "I'd tell you more, but…" She yawned, covering her mouth with a hand, "I should get some sleep."

"Of course." He smiled at her, nodding once in understanding. "Goodnight, Miss Mirania."

"Night.." She turned to go back to her bedroom when he spoke up again.

"Is it alright if we talk tomorrow morning at breakfast? I need to tell you something important."

She turned to face him, and nodded, smiling.

"We can talk tomorrow."


	8. Eight Past Eight

Mirania tried not to yawn as she woke up, dazed smile on her face as she sat up in bed. Eyes half-lidded from sleepiness, she recalled what happened the previous night, with her trying to get Arganan to sleep, and her telling both Arganan (and Asthar, to an extent) about the versions of them that she knew before coming to their world.

Her smile then faded as she fully sat up, thinking. Actually, maybe that wasn't such a good thing. Arganan hadn't been too pleased, knowing that his self that Mirania knew from  _her_  world had done such atrocious things.

Did she make a mistake, telling them? She hoped not. But then again, they seemed to take it well…at least, as well as they could possibly take it.

There was a short, firm few knocks on the door, and she got out of bed. Walking over to the door, she took a deep breath before opening.

"Oh! Asthar."

"Miss Mirania." Asthar blinked. "Good morning. I just thought I'd inform you that breakfast is ready."

"Really?" She smiled. "Thank you. I appreciate you telling me." A pause, then— "Would you like to join me? I wouldn't mind the company."

There it was—the hesitation in his face. He tried covering it up with a brief smile, nodding once. "I'd be delighted to."

* * *

The two went down to the kitchen, and Mirania almost forgot about the whole telling-everyone-about-the-selves-she-knew-back-at-home thing until Asthar spoke.

"You said I was a General. The version of me from your world that is. Do you mind telling me more?"

She was well-fed, and much more willing to speak about it than the sleepy her she was the night before. And so, she spoke.

"He was a man I knew quite well." Mirania managed. She took one of Asthar's hands in hers after putting down her mug of coffee. "We worked together, researched…to save  _my_  world from destruction. What he helped me discover aided us greatly, in the end. My world is safe because of him."

"What happened to him after?"

"…" Mirania's lips formed a thin line as she thought of it. Could she tell him that he'd been stabbed in the back, back where she came from, by someone who led her and the other mercenaries?

"He died," Mirania finally stated, locking eyes with the incubus, "protecting the people he loved dearly."

And to be fair, that was the truth.

"So he really did die that way."

"What?" She blinked, looking up at Asthar. "What do you mean?"

"I mean…that's something I would do, I imagine. Give my life up for the sake of others I love and cherish dearly. I'm not surprised, honestly. If anything…" There was a faint grin, and she didn't know if he was truly relieved or sad. "If anything, it proves that any other version of me would be the same as the me existing in this world."

Mirania did not bother to correct him.

He looked up at her. "I have…something to tell you, actually. About versions of people. More specifically, you."

Mirania looked to him. "There was a version of me?"

He nodded. "Yes. There  _was."_

Was.

"The Mirania—the one I knew, she…" He hesitated, then locked eyes with her at the next two words.

"She died."

Mirania felt her own throat close up. Asthar's face twisted, and she wasn't sure what it was until she noticed his eyes. Anguish remained within them.

"I don't know if Therius told you  _anything_  about how we started working for Arganan, but…uh, you probably know how the horse automatons aren't exactly the most stable, yes? That's…that's how you died. You were very young—a childhood friend of Therius, actually. You were with Therius and his parents when you were little, and, well…"

He stopped. Mirania frowned.

"I died along with his parents, didn't I?"

He nodded. "You did."

Leaning forwards, he rested his forehead against his open hand, holding it a bit. Said hand, however, trembled.

"I was…I saw the whole thing. I tried to get you, Therius, and his parents to the nearest hospital, but…only Therius made it. I—" His voice cracked. "Mirania, I'm…I'm so sorry. I'm sorry. If I'd gotten there sooner—"

"You did what you could." Mirania spoke, taking a deep breath and looking to Asthar.

"When he saved Calista from those horses years later," Asthar muttered, "I thought he was going to die."

Mirania could not give him words. She didn't know what words she could use to help him feel better.

All she could do was listen.

Maybe that was all she could do.

* * *

Arganan worked in the lab alone. A soft sigh escaped him as he tried to wipe some grease off the right side of his face with the back of his gloved hand, only to realize there was some grime on the glove as well.

"Here." A hand extended a clean handkerchief to him. Arganan blinked, before looking to the hand's owner—none other than Asthar. "I thought you needed this."

"Asthar….thank you." He gratefully took the handkerchief from him, wiping his own face. Asthar watched, leaning against a nearby table. Looking to the contraption to his left, then to Arganan, he sighed.

"I heard Miss Mirania actually managed to drag you to bed last night." He started. Raising an eyebrow, he moved so that he and Arganan were face-to-face. "And you're already up. I was hoping you could sleep another hour."

"She needs to get back home, and I've  _already_  screwed up this attempt once." Arganan replied, looking him in the eye with his good eye. "If I keep making mistakes, it could be a long while before she gets back."

"I understand that getting her back home is important," Asthar stated, "But you're working yourself to the bone. You need to take care of yourself, too."

Both men locked gazes with each other, but only for a moment. Arganan half-fell forwards into Asthar's chest, and the incubus wrapped his arms around him, holding him close.

"I'm just…I'm sorry." Arganan muttered. Laying his head against the incubus' chest, he inhaled slowly. "I'm just so…tired."

Asthar ran a hand through the other's wavy hair, watching him softly. There was this guilt he felt. Things were a bit rough for himself and Arganan lately, for varying reasons, and both of them knew they couldn't put up a strong front forever.

"I know. I'm tired, too."

At least they had each other to be vulnerable with.


	9. Nine past Eleven

The café was pretty quiet today, Mirania noticed. Still was.

Strange.

Usually there were at least a good number of people by now. It was lunch hour!

And yet there was no one.

Ariela sighed from behind her, walking over to join her at the counter. "I should have probably told you earlier that there might not be many people today."

The raven-haired mage looked to her. "Why is that?"

"See, um, they have the automaton races today." Ariela explained as she looked back at her. "It's in the Arena, downtown. Unfortunately, that means that we don't really get business. These competitions go on for one weekend every month."

"Well…" Mirania thought quickly. An Arena—that meant a lot of people would be there. From what it sounded like, it was pretty popular, right? So…

"Ariela," She started again, "Do you have a wagon or something we can use to transport food and drinks?"

"Um..yeah." The redhead blinked. "Usually we use those for special deliveries, why—oh." Eyes widened in realization, a grin spreading across her face. "I get what you're thinking! If they're not coming to us, we bring it to them?"

"Yes!" Mirania chuckled, both of them moving to the kitchen. "Let's get some food. Or maybe all the food?"

Ariela could only laugh. "We'll see how much we can bring, Mirania."

* * *

The blond inventor blinked. "You're not attending the automaton races?"

"Too many bad memories," Asthar admitted. "You know why."

"Right."

Both men sat across the kitchen table from each other, just staring. Arganan knew he had to work on that portal for Mirania to get back home, and Asthar knew there were probably better things for either of them to do than just linger on the past and such, but…

"What are we doing?"

"I don't know. Should I…?" Arganan moved to stand, and same with Asthar. Both men paused in their movement, gazing right at each other, and then a groan escaped the inventor.

"I'm sick of this, Asthar."

Asthar stared back at him. "What…?"

"This." Arganan gestured between himself and Asthar, moving to walk around the table. "What we have. I'm sick of this getting awkward between us. I know MIrania's asked you about our relationship, whatever it is, and I'm sick of falling into silence. I'm sick of not facing you post-sex and kissing you goodnight."

He stopped walking when he and Asthar were face to face again, his one good eye staring into the other's eyes. He gritted his teeth, skin flushed.

"Do you love me?"

Asthar frowned. "Lucius—"

"It's a simple yes or no question, William Asthar."

The incubus went quiet. Arganan glared back at him.

"Do you love me? Because  _I love you."_

Asthar noticed how the other man's ùhands shook by his sides, and the incubus gently gripped the inventor's hands in his.

"You love me?" Asthar repeated.

Arganan simply nodded. A soft 'hum' escaped the incubus' throat, before he spoke again.

"Well…I've thought about that, for a while. And—"

One hand grabbed Arganan by the shirt collar, before the incubus' lips smashed against the inventor's own. He pulled back, after a moment, a gasp escaping the inventor's lips, before Asthar looked into the other's good eye.

"Yes. I do."

Arganan's good eye widened, breath hitching as he put a hand over Asthar's hand still gripping his collar. A curse escaped him, before he used Asthar's grip on him to pull him in for a kiss. The incubus, knees buckling at the surprise, ended up stumbling forwards, half bashing the inventor into the table. The inventor pushed back, still kissing, both of them hitting the kitchen cupboards and counter behind them, but neither of them cared. Neither of them really cared, because they were so fixated on the relief from their confessions.

Neither of them cared as they ripped the clothes off each other in the kitchen instead of waiting to get to a bedroom.

* * *

Somehow, Mirania and Ariela miraculously brought a lot of food to the automaton races. The raven-haired mage couldn't help but smile as automaton horses, tigers, and even  _octopi_  raced each other in the arena below. She thought she sighted the Dagran and Yurick look-alikes from earlier, the ones whose horse she'd stopped and calmed some time ago, and she figured they must be racing in the competition.

Mirania then caught the sight of Calista standing amongst the crowd, but she was not alone. A tall, red-haired, familiar-looking Gurak was by her side, and she immediately knew who it was.

Zangurak.

It was Zangurak, in the flesh.

Granted, this was a different world, and so this Zangurak was different than the one Mirania came from, but it was still him. He didn't wear armor like the Gurak King back in Mirania's world had, but instead wore a collared shirt with a waistcoat, a long open trenchcoat overtop that with trousers and boots. He looked a lot less wild, in a way, given that change of attire. However, she also noticed a large scar above Zangurak's right eye. That was definitely different than what the Zangurak of her world had.

"Mirania?" She looked to Ariela, who frowned. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Mirania lied. "I'm fine."

But Calista didn't look fine. If anything, looked…sad. She knew that Calista was marrying Zangurak for the money that she and her uncle needed, as well as to ease tensions between the Gurak and the humans living here, but still.

Surely there had a way to solve this. Right? But at the same time, Mirania knew she couldn't stay and solve everyone's problems forever. She had to get back to her own world, back home, and she couldn't be the great problem solver of everything.

Or maybe she could?

She thought of how Zesha and Zepha asked if she could come back to have a tea party with them. They lived with Zangurak, right? A soft grin formed across her face.

Maybe there  _was_  a way to get Calista out of marrying him. The opportunity was there.

All she had to do was take it.


	10. Ten Past Ten

Arganan woke up to a familiar arm slung around his bare waist, before it moved, fingers walking up his bare chest. The inventor chuckled, turning his head to see Asthar smiling back at him.

"Morning."

Asthar shifted towards him, leaning his head forwards to kiss him.

"Morning," The incubus breathed back. "I see you're awake."

"That I am." Arganan gave him a kiss, then another. "God…I love this."

"You were pretty vocal with your praise earlier." Asthar extended the hand on the other's chest towards his blond, wavy hair, running his hand through the locks and pushing some out of the way of his scarred side of his face. Arganan didn't mind—Asthar saw that side of him far more than once already as is. "Sleep well?"

"Yeah." Arganan leaned into the other man's touch. "Did you?"

"Mhm." He flashed him a grin. "I have to say, I'm surprised at how long we went at it."

The other man blinked. "Did we just have sex all day after we started making out?"

"Basically, yes."

Arganan's face flushed warmly, and the incubus chuckled at the other's expression.

"Well, not  _quite_ all day." Asthar held an almost-calculating expression. "It was more like we had sex, fell asleep, woke up, and the cycle repeated. With the exception of using the washroom or grabbing something to eat occasionally, of course. But otherwise, yes."

"Oh." Arganan's face still flushed. Asthar grinned and kissed him a third time, his right hand cupping the other's cheek instead of running through the other's hair. Pulling back to breathe, he saw the grin on Arganan's face. "I want to do it again."

Asthar raised an eyebrow. "Really?" A smirk imprinted itself on his lips as his hand went down to Arganan's bare shoulder, then chest, feeling his heartbeat. "You want to go again?"

"Gladly," The other quipped, a chuckle escaping him. Both of them leaned in to kiss when  _Therius_ of all people opened the door.

"Good mo—ohhh,  _shit!"_  The white-haired man nearly dropped the trays of breakfast food he held at the sight. Arganan yelped, pulling the blanket up so it covered himself up to the chest, and Asthar pulled back from kissing Arganan, moving the blanket so that it at least covered his lower half. Therius still looked frazzled, eyes wide and a grimacing smile on his face. "My apologies! I didn't mean to…"

"Therius, it's fine." Asthar laughed, loud and clear. Arganan couldn't help but blush as the other spoke. "Do try to knock next time, though."

"I-I see…." Therius awkwardly, robotically, walked towards the bed table and put down the trays of breakfast food. "I made breakfast, for you both. I…didn't know exactly what you were up to."

Arganan shot Asthar a look. "I thought you said I was very vocal last night. How come he didn't notice?"

Asthar shrugged. "As far as I know, he  _probably_  didn't hear us."

Therius frowned. "I'm right here. And yes, I noticed it but tried to ignore it."

The other two men grimaced.  _"Oh."_

"…I also had to put on noise-cancelling earpieces to actually sleep."

Asthar winced. "I…sorry about that, Therius. We'll try to keep it down next time."

"No worries. I was fine once the earpieces were in." Therius took a deep breath, then spoke again. "Miss Mirania already left, if you're wondering."

Arganan stared. "At this time in the morning? Does she have work?"

"Um…" The white-haired man's lips pressed into a thin line. "She went to go visit the Gurak brothers. Something about getting Calista out of her marriage arrangement? She was in quite a rush when she left…"

Arganan and Asthar both froze, then looked to each other, then to Therius again.

" _What?"_

* * *

The healing mage took a deep breath as she stepped through the gates, into the courtyard surrounding the manor where Zangurak, as well as Zesha and Zepha, lived.

She thought she'd seen Zangurak and Calista coming to this place once the automaton races from the other day were over. And Calista hadn't come back since. Maybe she was still here?

"Mirania." Mirania turned to see Zesha there, leaning against one of the various metal angel-shaped statues in the courtyard, smiling. "Good to see you. Zepha almost has the tea ready."

"That's great, Zesha. Thanks."

"Thank my brother for that." Zesha straightened himself as she approached him, and his lips pressed together briefly before speaking. "Are you here for Calista?"

Mirania blinked. "How did you know?"

Zesha's lips curled upwards. "I didn't. I just guessed."

"Oh. Well…" Mirania paused, before speaking. "It's about her marriage arrangement with Zangurak. As far as I understand from what her uncle and others told me, she's not happy with it. And I know they need the money, but is there any other way to solve this issue without her having to marry to someone she doesn't even love?"

"Sometimes we have to do things we'll…hate." It was Zepha's voice that spoke, loud and clear, and both of them turned to see Zepha walking over to them. "Do you have any idea what Zangurak is capable of?"

"I know he's rich and he's engaged to Calista because she needs the money…and also because it's for show, regarding the Gurak and human relations here." The nature mage paused, thinking, then shook her head. "I don't know much else. Though I assume you both know him well, given that you live with him."

"Well," Zepha leaned against the same statue Zesha once leaned on, "He's a pretty…powerful businessman. You could put it like that."

Zesha snorted. "More like mafia."

Mirania blanched.  _"What?"_

"There was a large riot," Zepha stated, "A few years ago, between humans and us Gurak here in Lazulis. But Zangurak stopped it. In exchange for his help, he asked to marry Calista. No one understood why they chose her, other than the fact that her uncle is or was a famed inventor up until then."

"Was?"

"Was. Automaton incident." Zesha frowned. "One of his machines went a bit…haywire, after a Sorceress who appeared in this world a while back decided to use it to get back to her world. It broke after she left, and it caused tremors in this land. Broke a lot of property. Hence the riots."

So it was Arganan's fault that the Gurak and humans were tense? Mirania was sure he didn't mean it…though this Sorceress they mentioned had her thinking.

"A Sorceress?" Mirania repeated. Hadn't Zael back in her world mentioned something about him and Calista seeing one the night before the Gurak attacked for a third time, back where she belonged? "What did she look like? What did she do while she was here?"

"She wandered this world like you." Zepha raised an eyebrow. "And she was older than you. White hair…older, older complexion. I'm sure she doesn't know the damage she caused while she was here."

_And most likely will never know,_  Mirania finished in her head. She'd ask Arganan more details later. "Do you know if Zangurak's here? And Calista too? I need to talk to—"

Someone cleared his throat, and it wasn't either of the Gurak brothers.

"Calista just left."

Mirania turned to the source of the voice, eyes widening.

Zangurak, who just approached, looked larger than life, now that she saw him up close. It was different than seeing him with Calista the other day, with him just standing beside her. And Mirania hadn't realized how short she might be compared to this Gurak, this version of the Gurak King back who despised humans back in her world.

"I saw you approaching, human." Zangurak crossed his arms in front of his chest, his gaze directly on her. Both Zesha and Zepha flinched and almost shrank away. "And I know why you're here."

Mirania bit her lower lip. She hadn't expected to be caught so soon, and her stomach coiled inside, not in a good way. "Why marry Calista in exchange for stopping a riot? What do you get out of that?"

The Gurak simply shook his head, red hair wavering in the breeze. His eyes grew dim, cold. "Isn't the answer obvious? Even if their family is in such disgrace and lacking wealth, they do have a certain power and influence to them. The only way they'll stop looking so pathetic in the public eye is if they join forces with me, at this rate."

"They're not pathetic. Neither Calista or her uncle are."

Zesha's eyes flashed, his mouth opening to warn her, but Mirania just stared Zangurak down.

"Both of them have been good to me the whole time I've been here! Arganan's helping to create a way back home and he and Calista are some of the nicest people I've met in a while. And I know Calista's uncle's mistake might have started the riots and all in the first place, but he's trying to fix things. He's literally hurting himself over it! And Calista's doing her best to keep it together, too."

She exhaled sharply, then inhaled as she dared to look into the Gurak's eyes. Mirania never thought she could feel this angry, but…apparently she surprised herself. Fists at her sides, she swallowed before speaking again.

"Even if she does marry you, you should at least treat her and her uncle better. Or I won't forgive you, ever."

Zangurak gazed back her, face neutral, before he laughed, dark and hollow.

"What does that matter to  _you?"_ He spat. "You're leaving this world eventually. Your voice doesn't matter."

Mirania's gaze only hardened.

"You'll be surprised," She spoke, "By what one voice can  _do._  You'll see."

She turned on her heel and left, plans forming in her mind. First, she had to talk to Arganan and Calista about all of this. And then, proceed from there. Never did she think she might be trying to stop a wedding, but this was going all the wrong ways and had to stop, before it was too late.

Mirania was not one to back down from a challenge. She didn't plan on backing down. Not anytime soon, at least.


	11. Eleven Past Four

"Mirania, can we talk?"

Mirania just got back home from Zangurak's mansion when Calista approached her. She didn't look happy, and Mirania wasn't sure what else to do, so she let her lead her into the kitchen…

…where Asthar, Arganan and Therius happened to be standing in, as well.

Mirania grimaced. "I'm…guessing you all know where I went."

Therius' face fell. "I told you I'm not good at lying, Mirania. The truth spilled out before I realized it."

"Sorry, Therius."

"Probably the shock of him walking in on both of us, honestly." Asthar managed, chuckling faintly as Therius groaned, shaking his head. Arganan's face flushed a bit pink as he scoffed and averted his gaze from Mirania, and Mirania put two and two together.

"Y-you both…got together?"

Asthar could only, gleefully, smile. "You could say that, yes."

Calista sighed, shaking her head. "Can we please get to the main issue regarding my marriage with Zangurak?"

Everyone went quiet. Mirania swallowed, and opened her mouth to speak, but Calista cut her to the chase.

"Look, Mirania. I know you mean well, and I don't want to marry Zangurak, but I have to! It's the only thing that could securely keep me and everyone else in this house from…selling it off."

"It's only for show. You said it yourself when I saw you both the first time! And do you really want to be around him?"

"I would still live separately from him." She pushed silver hair out of her eyes, face tightening. "That's what we've arranged."

"I know you're doing it because of the Sorceress and the fact that Arganan's machine destroyed a lot of other people's property when sending her back to her world! That to make the Arganan family look good again after all that, you're marrying Zangurak, who clearly isn't treating you well."

"I don't have to  _like_  the person I marry, Mirania."

"Can I speak up?" It was Arganan whose good eye hardened as he looked between both women. "Calista, we both know Zangurak isn't giving you the respect that you should be given, nor does he give me that same respect. _I_  went against the idea when he proposed it to us in the first place!"

"I don't want to marry him, Uncle!" Calista's hand slammed against the kitchen table. "But, I don't want us to be on the verge of miserably broke, either! We've barely been able to pay Asthar and Therius on time for what they've done for us, and…"

"Calista." It was Arganan that spoke, and Calista went silent, looking to him. He gazed back at her, face tightening. "Mirania has a point. I don't want Zangurak getting his grubby hands on my work. Marrying him is a way to financial stability, but there are alternatives—"

"I'm still trying to find a job, Mirania has even pitched in despite her being a guest, and Asthar and Therius are doing whatever odd jobs they can. And you've been working on the machine to send Mirania back home—"

"I wasn't done talking."

Both uncle and niece went silent, and then Arganan sighed, running a hand through wavy locks. Asthar gently wrapped an arm around his waist, squeezing his side lightly with one hand, and Arganan looked to him, his good eye softening, before looking to Calista.

"Calista…I know you care about our wellbeing. God knows you care so much for us and how we look to everyone else. But…we don't have to go through with this. I'd rather you be poorer and happier with no Zangurak around than being rich and unhappy. Your happiness matters more."

Calista went silent, swallowing, before speaking.

"There's one other problem. One I didn't tell any of you about when I accepted marrying Zangurak."

"What?" Therius' eyebrows furrowed. "What is it?"

"I…" She heaved a breath, eyes falling to the floor. "He's connected to the leaders of the riots from years ago…and he'll tell them start the riots  _again_  if we break off the engagement."

"What!? That's illegal!" Mirania didn't realize her voice could get any louder, but it did. Asthar's eyes flashed, arm around Arganan tightening, but Mirania kept going. "You can't blackmail someone into marriage! He should know that well!"

"He has his connections, and they're more than just mafia or rioters." Arganan huffed, leaning against Asthar's side. "When I tried to get the police for help with stopping the riots in the past, they refused. I later found out Zangurak bribed them not to. And it was also Zangurak that bribed them to  _eventually_  take action and give him credit for stopping them. I was only lucky enough to figure it out after Asthar snooped around for me."

"He had a key role in the riots?" Mirania stared. "More than just…stopping them, but also helped  _continue_  them? Why?"

"He's never liked humans." Therius frowned. "Years ago, Lazulis used to be a humans-only city. The Gurak came in when famine set into their usual areas, and we've had trouble with humans and Gurak getting along since. I might not know his full motives, but I think that might be a reason."

The nature mage felt this heavy weight set in her chest, and she wasn't sure what it was. "And Arganan's machine causing their property destruction was just enough fuel for the fire."

"Exactly."

Mirania thought about Arganan warning her about Zesha and Zepha long ago, when first going over to their place for tea. "Is that why you told me not to see those two brothers, Zesha and Zepha? Because they were associated with Zangurak?"

"Yeah. That's why." Arganan frowned. "I would have told you the whole story back then, but…at the same time, I was hoping to get you home sooner than this. I didn't think you needed to know absolutely everything if your stay would be so short."

"….Good point." Mirania took a deep breath, looking from Arganan to Therius, then to Asthar and Calista. "Well, I'm going to try stopping this wedding in any way I can. But," She looked to Calista, "That's only if  _you_  want me to stop it."

Everyone looked to Calista as she wrapped her arms around herself, arms shaking. She looked…scared, but then she took a deep breath and looked up at Mirania, locking eyes with her.

"Help me stop it. Please."

Mirania nodded. "I'll do anything I can."

"Count me in, too." Arganan managed. "I'm not letting my niece have an unhappy marriage."

"Same with me." Asthar kept Arganan close to his side.

Therius only nodded once. "You have my support as well."

"Zangurak might have connections," Mirania managed, "But we've got ours, too. We need to figure out how to use them to stop the wedding."

"A bigger issue is the Gurak and humans getting along." Therius's jaw tightened, but a sharp exhale from his nose forced his jaw to relax. "How are we going to stop the wedding without the tension between them getting worse?"

Mirania had to think. What did bring people together, regardless of class and such? She knew of one thing that could.

"You said the Gurak initially came here because of a famine, right? We just need one thing to bring both them and the humans in this city together…and it's food."

Everyone, despite everything, couldn't help but stare at her.

" _ **Food?!"**_


	12. Twelve Past One

"You want to organize a potluck!?"

Mirania blinked, looking to Ariel as the both of them wiped up tables in the café. Said café just closed, and they were the only ones left in it.

"Yeah. Why not? I mean," Mirania put down her washcloth before continuing, "Everyone loves food! And Calista, her uncle, Asthar and Therius are on board with the plan as well. I figured this café could help supply some of the food for it!"

"I'd have to ask my dad." Ariela tilted her head to the side, looking to her. "Though…all this to make sure Calista and Zangurak don't have to get married?"

"If we all start getting along regardless of being human or Gurak, they won't have to marry. And maybe Arganan will get a little more business with repairing mechanical items and such if people actually like him more, too." Mirania paused, thinking of the inventor. "I didn't know he actually...used to do a lot of repairs."

"Yeah, he used to." Ariela wiped down another table, before moving to the next one. Mirania picked up her own washcloth, putting it in the nearby bucket filled with soapy water to rinse it as Ariela continued speaking. "After his machine broke and the riots happened, though, business went down entirely. I think people are scared of him accidentally causing an accident as huge as that one."

"I…get that sense, for sure. But," Mirania wrung the towel, watching the water drip back into the bucket, "Just because he did it once doesn't mean he'll accidentally cause more property destruction again! We…we need people to believe in him. If they don't, he won't be trusted, and then he and Calista will be broke because they'll have no business, and—"

"Mirania, you can't fix everything."

Mirania locked eyes with her. "But I can try, right?"

The question hung in the air. Ariela put down her washcloth, before slowly nodding. "…Yeah. We can try."

* * *

"What's going on?" The police chief demanded as he heard shouting and fighting going on at the front of the station.

"It's an incubus!" One of the police officers gasped, having just run into the office. "He's—"

The poor officer got blasted across the room and he hit the wall. As he slid down the wall, onto the ground, it was clear he was stunned. Asthar stepped in, sighing.

"You know, Captain McChuckles," The incubus smirked as the police chief glared back at him across the desk, "You know better than to ask your forces to be immediately hostile to incubi and succubi. We are capable of more than you think."

"You promised to never return here." McChuckles snapped, standing. A vein pulsed in his forehead, face reddening. "That was part of the deal from the riots, all those years ago!"

"I'm not asking to have my position back as a former police officer. Not at all." Asthar snapped his fingers, and the door to the office closed behind him, locking shut. "I'm asking for you to give me all the records of confessions and reports that detail your help in the riots, as well as your refusal to Mr. Lucius Arganan to help quell the riots, as well as the confession that you let Zangurak bribe you into refusing to help until instructed in the first place."

"And what leverage do you have?" McChuckles challenged, glaring back at him. "You've got nothing!"

"Oh, you're wrong." A half-smile played on his lips. "I do have something. I have a few copies of those reports, actually, and I will happily display them on public for everyone in town to see by myself. And that's more scandalous than the police posting the truth themselves, because that'll make you lot even less credible than you'll be."

" _What!?_  You're bluffing!"

"I'm _not._  Do you want to try me?"

McChuckles huffed, tilting his head. "How did you get the information?"

"Oh," Asthar shrugged, "I had help. Some of the other officers can find me quite enticing for the night, honestly, and you don't take someone out on a date without treating them to something nice."

"…You seduced my other officers."

"Incubus." Asthar laughed at that. "The perks of being one come in handy for situations like this. Now," He looked McChuckles in the eyes, "Now that it's clear I have leverage, will you do as I ask, or not?"

* * *

"What's this?"

Zesha inhaled deeply, then handed the flyer to Zangurak. "It's for an upcoming…potluck, apparently. All are invited."

"And it's this Saturday." Zangurak frowned, reading it, before crumpling up the paper and throwing it aside. "We'll put an end to it."

"What do you plan?" Zepha and Zesha exchanged swallowed glances with each other, then looked to Zangurak. "Do we really need to stop it? It's not like they're having a protest demonstration or something."

"It's part of that girl's plan to ruin a perfectly good marriage." He looked to both twins. "I trust you'll stop it by any means necessary? You both know how to stir up a riot, so I expect you both to do it again."

Both twins said nothing.

Neither told Mirania that they were once involved in the same riots that ended with Calista agreeing to marry Zangurak, nor did they want to.

But maybe they had no choice.

Maybe all they could do was try to warn her, and tell her, and hope she didn't get pissed about it.


	13. One Past Five

"Mirania."

_Knock knock knock._

"Mirania! Open the door, please!"

Zesha swallowed, looking around. Was no one home? Surely  _someone_  must be here, and he was desperate to let them know.

That was when Mirania opened the door to face him, staring.

"Zesha?" She spoke.

She knew that he didn't usually come to her door like this. In the past, he and Zepha just sent her notes of invitation, to come over and see them, rather than the other way around. Heck, last time they actually came here, it was just Zesha and he and Arganan bickered a bit, back when Mirania first arrived in this world.

So why was he here  _right now?_

"I don't have much time." Zesha inhaled sharply, locking gazes with her. "But I need to tell you, you need to move the location of your potluck someplace else."

"Why? What's wrong?" Her eyes were wide, so innocent.

Zesha swallowed. "Zangurak wants me and Zepha to start another riot. He'll make us take it to the streets."

"You don't have to obey him! You could leave him, I…" Mirania faltered, taking in Zesha's words. "… _Another_  riot?"

He swallowed. She stared right at him.

"…I helped with the riots all those years ago. Same with Zepha. We were angry, and—"

"You helped!?"

She swallowed, her lips pressed thin together. "Why? How old were you when…"

"We Gurak age a little slower than humans." Zesha looked down at himself, then up at her. "I honestly don't know how old I am, nor does Zepha. We figured we must be the same age because we look alike, but I think Zepha is slightly older. We…were already adults by the time we started those riots. We're probably older than you, the both of us."

"Which means Zangurak is probably much older."

"Maybe." Zesha pushed his own hair out of his face. "Either way, Zepha and I….our parents were gone, after our properties were destroyed. Other fellow Gurak died, too. So we got angry. And Zangurak used our anger. We thought he meant well, but it's only now that…we know it's never what he really wanted. He just wanted to use us to serve himself, his own ends. And I would do all I can to stop him, but I don't think I can."

"You can." The nature mage urged. "You can try."

"My hands are tied." Zesha stepped back. "Move the potluck somewhere else where Zangurak won't know, or cancel it. Or else you'll have hell on your hands."

"Zesha—!"

But Zesha ran, and Zesha was gone.

* * *

Arganan stared at the files Asthar waved at him. "I can't believe it actually worked."

"Incubus charms." Asthar shrugged, putting the stack of files onto the kitchen table. "They  _always_  work. All we have to do now is make photocopies and circulate them around the whole city. Maybe even hand out a few at the potluck Mirania is planning. Everyone will be so pissed that the police will have no choice but to arrest Zangurak for manipulating us into his arranged marriage with Calista!"

Arganan gave him a look. "I'm jealous," He muttered, "That  _those_  officers get to have kisses from you!"

"They only got kisses.  _Nothing else,_  I assure you." Asthar winked back at Calista. Therius looked like he was trying not to groan from the flirtations, and Calista couldn't help but chuckle at this.

"Please don't tell me you had to smooch  _McChuckles_ to get those files!" Arganan was still a bit antsy about this.

"Goodness _, no!"_  Asthar shook his head, face scrunching. "I may be an incubus, but I have  _standards._  I have no plans to kiss that man, not even briefly!"

"The thought of it makes me squirm."

"Same with me." Asthar pulled Arganan in for a brief kiss, just before Mirania rushed back into the kitchen, panting.

"I think Zesha's in trouble." Mirania blurted out.

Therius looked to her. "What!?"

Arganan and Asthar froze. "What do you mean by…in trouble?" Arganan managed.

"He told me he and Zepha had helped with the first riots, and…now Zangurak plans to start another one on the day of the potluck." Mirania's eyebrows furrowed. "We have to move the location of the potluck!"

"But we already handed out the flyers indicating where exactly we're having it!" Calista's eyes widened. "And…the potluck is in two days from now, how are we supposed to get the word to everyone in time?"

Asthar shrugged. "I could always go find a few officers I haven't encountered yet, give them a few favours, and they could provide the information secretly for us—"

"No!" Arganan's good eye widened. "No, no, you just got back from snogging a bunch of officers!"

Asthar tilted his head, frowning. "If you're worried about my stamina should I go beyond that, I'll be fine."

"No, it's not  _that,_  it's just…isn't there some other way that doesn't require you and sex to get what we want?"

Therius facepalmed himself. "He…kind of has a point. We can't just run to the police and do the same strategy all over again."

Asthar's face fell. "Ah, true. They might figure it out too soon."

"New strategy…um," Mirania closed her eyes, then opened them, "You know those automaton horses? Do we have any? We could ride one or two through the whole city and quickly send everyone letters notifying them of a location change."

"We don't own any but…" Arganan slowly nodded. "I could make one."

Calista looked to him. "In less than a day?"

"Yeah. Probably. Might need some coffee to keep me awake, but I could make one by the next morning. Would that be sufficient?"

"Yes." Mirania deeply inhaled, and thought of Zesha. "I just hope this works."

* * *

He felt so…cowardly. Guilty, even.

_You can try._

Those words echoed in Zesha's head as he kept running. He wasn't really looking where he went as he did, and he pushed past one, two, three people as he kept going.

He ducked in and out of alleys, in and out of buildings, down the streets and around the corners.

But nothing he could do would stop him from getting caught.

" _Zesha."_

Zesha froze in his tracks. He didn't turn around.

He didn't need to. He heard Zangurak smirk behind him.

"What did I say about snitching to the girl?"

Zesha swallowed, closed his eyes. "You told us not to."

"And yet you did."

"I did."

A gun cocked behind him.

"Hands up where my men can see them."

Zesha could do nothing but obey.


	14. Three a.m.

_14\. Three a.m._

"Finally!"

The inventor stepped back from his very new creation, smiling.

"It's ready!" Arganan wiped sweat off his forehead with the back of his right hand, only to pull his hand away and grimace. Asthar chuckled, grabbing a handkerchief to wipe the oil off the inventor's forehead as Arganan looked to Therius and Mirania.

"An automaton horse, by yours truly." Arganan gently petted the automaton horse's mane, and the horse itself gave a whinny. Mirania gazed at the automaton, eyes wide, and Arganan raised an eyebrow. "Never seen anything like it before?"

"Not since calming Yurick and Dagran's horse, no. At least, not up close." The nature mage couldn't help but just…stare at the horse. Yes, those horses seemed to lead to trouble (hence the accident that took this world's version of her's life as well as other shenanigans), but they seemed useful. "Do I need to apply oil to the horse's joints often, to keep it moving?"

"I think I added enough for it to last the whole night's journey around the city." Arganan looked to Therius and Mirania both. "Are you two ready to go? I just need to put the saddle on this one."

"Yes." Therius had a messenger bag slung over his shoulder, and he handed one to Mirania. As the nature mage took it, she noticed the weight. "I have letters for every single house in the city and I coordinated it so that you have every house number with odd numbers, while I have the even numbers. That way we don't mix them up and can deliver them effectively."

"Wow…" Mirania opened her messenger bag, staring at all the letters, before closing it and looking up at him. "Therius, this is amazing! Thank you!"

Therius smiled faintly. "I'm only doing what we need to do."

"I'll stay back and make sure he," Asthar looked to Arganan, "gets rest."

Arganan looked to Asthar, raising an eyebrow. "You're the one that insisted on giving me coffee at nine in the evening. Are you really sure I'll be able to sleep?"

"If you don't tense up so much, maybe."

Calista sighed, looking from the messenger bags and the horse to Therius and Mirania. "I wish I could help…"

"Given Zangurak wanting to marry you?" Therius grimaced. "Not a good idea."

"We'll get the letters delivered and come back immediately afterwards." Mirania promised. And with that being said, Arganan got the saddle attached to the horse, and Mirania and Therius rode off into the night.

* * *

"Get back here!"

Zesha wasn't sure how he slipped past Zangurak and the other mafia members with him, but he did, and he was running again.

Could he lose them? At this time of night in the city?

Despite his work as a mafia member of sorts, he rarely worked at night. Given how he was tripping over almost everything, now, he cursed himself for not taking more night shifts.

He was terrified, and….where was Zepha? Was Zepha in trouble like he was, because of him warning Mirania about the riots?

As he turned a corner, then another, the whinny of an automaton horse startled him, and he slipped. Hitting the ground, he groaned, looking up at the horse that now stopped…as well as the two people riding it.

"Zesha!?" Mirania got off the horse first, rushing over to him as Therius calmed the horse. "What are you doing out here!?"

"We don't have time," Zesha stood up, "You need to turn back, Zangurak is on his way!"

"What?" Therius got off his horse, slipping a letter underneath the door of a house to his left. "But, we have to deliver these letters! We're relocating the potluck and we have to let people know—"

"That's why you're out here?"

"Yes!"

Zesha growled, looking behind him, just as the other Gurak turned the corner to see them. "You two get out of here. I'll hold 'em off."

"We can't just leave you!" Mirania's hands glowed green. "I know nature magic, we can send them running!"

Therius groaned, before taking out two guns. "I knew I should have carried a sword with me."

Mirania blinked, looking to the guns. "I didn't know you…what are those things?"

"Guns. I shoot people." He shrugged. "Asthar and I used to be bodyguards before we got picked up by Arganan. It wasn't fun."

Mirania doubted it was.

Two of the Gurak took out their own guns, shooting, and Mirania had to duck out of the way so she wouldn't get shot, Zesha doing the same. The automaton horse whinnied, charging at the Gurak and knocking them aside.

Therius managed to get behind a couple of crates to avoid getting hit, before shooting back at the Gurak. It sent some of them running, but not all of them. Others dodged the bullets, lunging at Zesha, but the horse was getting in their way.

Those who did manage to get past the horse ended up trading blows with Zesha, punching and kicking, but Zesha blocked or sidestepped the hits. One of the kicks ended up with him on the ground, but he grabbed the two nearest Gurak as he did, sending them down with him. They rolled and grappled with each other as they tried to rise, a sharp grunt escaping Zesha's lips as he finally rose and kicked the other two aside.

A hiss escaped Therius' lips as he was shot in the shoulder, and he fell back. "Damn it! Help!"

Mirania rushed over to Zesha, healing him with her magic, before doing the same to Therius. "Got you. You okay?"

"Yes…yes, I'm fine." Exhaling sharply, Therius got up, picking up both guns before trying to shoot at the Gurak…only to grimace as he realized they were empty. "I'm out."

"I don't have any ammo on me!" Zesha ducked another Gurak heading his way, then another, and then—

" _HEYYY! CLEAR OUT!"_

Several of the Gurak scattered, and Zesha, Mirania and Therius looked up to see Ariela, a large sort of gun held in both hands, light growing at the end of it.

"Duck!" The three ran out of the way, just as Ariela fired, and a boom resounded as bright light came from the gun, a column of nothing but light. Mirania shut her eyes, fearing that she'd be blinded if she didn't. It was only moments after the brightness faded that she opened her eyes, heaving a breath.

"What the hell is that!?" Therius shouted, looking to Ariela. "Also, what are you doing out here!?"

Ariela chuckled, looking from the gun to Therius. "It's a solar gun. It's my dad's, but I borrowed it. Arganan made it for him a while back…I'm glad to see it still works! Also, you're right outside my house! How am I not supposed to notice!?"

"A solar gun?" Mirania repeated, looking from Ariela to where the other Gurak had once been. None of them were there, but this was due to them fleeing the attack rather than any being annihilated. "How does it…work?"

"It absorbs the sun's rays, and then you pull the trigger to release the energy. Usually it only works during the day, but I got my brother in law Horace to upgrade it so it retains its solar energy for longer, even after the sun goes down." Ariela attached the gun to the belt around her hip, looking to the three, then the automaton horse nearby. "What are you all doing here, anyway?"

"We have to deliver letters to relocate the potluck." Mirania managed.

"And I got in trouble." Zesha looked to Ariela, blinking. "…Thank you. For helping us."

"It's no problem. You would all cause a longer ruckus if I didn't. Speaking of ruckuses…" Ariela frowned, "We're relocating the potluck? Why?"

Zesha swallowed. "Zangurak plans on causing another riot at the original location, so we have to move it so Zangurak can't cause chaos at it. That's why those two," He looked to Therius and Mirania, "are out here."

"I can help." Ariela offered. "I mean, I'm awake anyway."

"Are you sure?" The nature mage heaved a breath. "What if Zangurak's people come after you?"

"I can stick with her." Zesha offered. "I can help. Probably best if we all go in twos…" He looked to Ariel again, "If you don't mind, that is."

"Honestly?" Ariela flashed him a grin, "It's about time I got to do something that doesn't mean me wiping tables."

"There is some wiping, though. Wiping the floor with all the other shitheads that come after us because of me."

Everyone awkwardly went silent. Zesha sighed. "Wiping the floor? You know? Because…that's a phrase of expression for beating up people?"

Therius grimaced. "No offense, but…it gets less funny when you try explaining."

"Good point. I need to work on that."

"We can worry about it later," Mirania grabbed her messenger bag, opening it up and giving Zesha and Ariela a bunch of letters as Therius did the same. "Can you two deliver these for us? The more people we have covering other areas, the more we get done sooner."

"Sounds good." Ariela took the letters she grabbed from the two, before looking to Zesha. "I've got a wagon behind my house we can use. Sounds good?"

Zesha grinned, before following her. "Sounds perfect."

As the two rushed off, Therius couldn't help but chuckle, and then look to Mirania. "Are you ready to continue the deliveries?"

"Yeah." Mirania closed up her messenger bag, slinging it over her shoulder again. "I'm ready."


	15. Eleven o'clock

Gurak and humans alike came to the new location of the potluck, which happened to be not in the townsquare where it was originally planned, but at a rather interesting place. One that Mirania was familiar with, back in her world, but it was this clockwork world's version of it.

Stargazer's Tower.

The place was still in some ruins, with some still-crumbling archways here and there, but it had enough space to fit many townspeople. It was still in the middle of some repairs, as apparently there were efforts being made to restore this place so people could really use it to watch the stars at night, but it was still nice.

Mirania directed people where to put the food for everyone to share, encouraged everyone to talk with each other. There were some tense moments in the crowd, especially between a handful of humans and Gurak at times, but Therius, Asthar, Arganan and Calista all played their part to make sure no fights were breaking out.

Ariela and Zesha helped to organize all the food onto tables, lining them up like a buffet. Mirania also helped them (and did her best not to sample any of the food before everyone else did).

Things…seemed to be going quite well so far. This was surprising, given the chaos that happened the night or so before, but  _it was happening._  Things were peaceful, things were well, and nothing had gone horrifically wrong yet.

Before everyone would eat, Mirania made sure to mention to everyone that she had something she wanted to say before they all started eating together.

"Are you ready?" Calista asked Mirania. The silver-haired woman looked to the large gathering of people, then to the nature mage again. "I think it's about time you speak."

Mirania took a deep breath, thinking about the events of the other night, as well as all of what she knew about Zangurak, Calista, and this world. It was…odd, really. She never expected to get pulled into trying to help someone escape a forced arranged marriage. Then again, the nature mage came from a world where the Outsider existed, as well as one of her closest companions being the wielder of the Outsider's power.

_Anything_  could happen. She just hoped nothing bad would happen today.

"People of Lazulis," She started, "I want to thank you all for attending this potluck, especially considering the sudden change of location. I also want to thank you all for listening to me, despite being from outside your world."

She took a deep breath, looking straight out towards the crowd, and she saw someone standing at the very back.

Zangurak was there. The nature mage swallowed. Did Zangurak find out the location change so soon? Was he going to start a riot?

It seemed that Arganan had noticed his presence, though, and the inventor motioned for MIrania to continue speaking. Mirania nodded, before continuing.

"As some of you already know, but not all of you, I've been here for about a month, now. I come from another world entirely, and I know from Lucius Arganan that I was not the only one that did this. That there was another Sorceress, before me. When she left, there was much destruction involved."

There were some murmurs among the crowd, but she kept going.

"I know of what happened afterwards—the riots, the tension you all shared because of it, as well as Zangurak and Calista's arranged marriage meant to keep the peace. But, I want to offer a better solution than that."

Here came the hard part. How would they react? She knew she wanted to bridge the Gurak and humans together here, in some way.

"My solution is…that we let our walls down a bit, and I mean the figurative ones. I know it is easy to dwell on the past, on what happened back then. I will never know the extent of the pain you all had back then. But the bitterness all of you share will help no one in the end! Every fight, every minute you hold onto the past…that only makes it worse. I know this, because I came from a world where there were also Gurak and humans."

There were some gasps from the crowd, some more murmurs.

"Back in my world, there was also an incident that happened between the Gurak and humans there that caused conflict. They were in war, but the root of it was because there was one singular incident that led to them warring—a meteorite called the Outsider drained the land of life, and the Gurak and humans back in my world fought over whatever resources were left. The war only ended, however, when my friends and I returned the Outsider to where it belonged, back in space. It was through us working together to send it back that things came to peace. Had we not done so, I doubt I'd be standing in front of you today, nor would my world be safe."

Another deep breath. She saw Zesha smiling faintly in the crowd, Calista looking a bit worried. Zangurak, however, had the most surprising reaction—he didn't appear to be doing anything. No call for a riot, nothing. If anything, he was…listening, just like everyone else.

"When I think about my world, and this world, I can see the same thing happening. Though it wasn't a meteorite striking this place, but an earthquake, this place is still going through tension that happened in the aftermath. And as far as I've learned, if we hold onto our bitterness towards each other, it won't help anyone. That's why I decided to organize this potluck…because I hope, with this, that we can start to build bridges, not walls. Helping each other can lead to good. I know there is only so much I can speak about this, but I hope that we can work towards living peacefully with each other."

She wondered if that would be the end.

"You speak of living in peace," Zangurak called out, walking through the crowd, "And yet you're the one that's caused the chaos."

Mirania frowned, looking to him. "In what way have I done so?"

She noticed Therius' grimace, Asthar shaking his head, but she already challenged the mafia leader. Zangurak moved out of the crowd, standing in front of her.

"Ever since you appeared in this world, you did all this," He gestured to the crowd, the potluck, "All for the sake of ruining my upcoming marriage. How is that anything peaceful?"

"I didn't do it entirely to break up your arranged marriage to Calista. Which, by the way, the means in which you arranged it was illegal."

Some of the crowd gasped. Zangurak frowned.

"My arrangement with her," His teeth gritted, "Is meant to help keep the peace in this city."

"You basically forced her to do so, or else you'd continue the riots! How is that keeping peace?" Mirania looked him in the eyes. She felt her arms shake, but she held her ground, feet rooted where she stood. "I have evidence from the police that you bribed them to not help anyone with stopping the riots until you said so!"

His eyes widened. "You're bluffing."

She said nothing.

"You're bluffing, aren't you?" He chuckled, but he sounded a bit weak. "You couldn't have…"

"We have."

It was Arganan that moved to stand by Mirania's side, staring right at Zangurak. Both men exchanged cold stares, but it was Arganan that spoke first.

"These are all the reports and confessions of the police, all the recordings they had of meetings with you saying that they would allow your bribes in exchange for them not helping stop the riots all those years ago. These aren't the only copies, either. I've sent copies all over the city by now, and I believe the city police chief McChuckles has a statement he'll be making about that in the next hour after your arrest."

"What?" Zangurak looked to Zesha, who gave him a look that said 'you totally deserve this.' "You…" He looked to Arganan, glaring. "Do you think mere reports will be enough to warrant my arrest?"

"I can also use you trying to kill Zesha to shut him up as further evidence against you." Arganan added. "I sent a report about that to the higher ups in the main city outside Lazulis, which is connected to all the police that operate in the empire this city is located in, along with the reports I just spoke of. I think you're going to have a lot to answer fo—"

What happened next nearly became a blur.

Zangurak whipped out a gun, shooting. Arganan gasped, dropping the reports, stumbling back and falling to a knee, and the crowd gasped as Zangurak made a run for it. Asthar noticed, hissing, running after him, and Mirania knelt down by the inventor's side, praying that the bullet hadn't torn through the other and made a worse injury than it could.

"Just hold on!" Mirania tried to find the bullet. "Where did he hit?"

Arganan broke into a weak chuckle, pushing hair out of his face as he looked to her. "Gods, Mirania, He gasped, "I'm fine…sore, but…I think a metal arm is easier to fix than my normal one."

He pulled his hand off his left shoulder. The bullet was neatly stuck in the upper left metal arm. The nature mage inhaled, then exhaled slowly.

"Thank goodness he didn't strike anywhere else.." She helped him up, pulling the bullet out of his arm before calling to the crowd. "He's okay, everyone! He's good! It hit his metal arm!"

Some of the crowd sounded quite relieved at that, and Mirania offered them all a soft smile.

"Well…now that we have that out of the way, how about we all start eating? Make sure you all have enough to eat before getting seconds!"

The crowd cheered, making a break for the food. Mirania looked to Arganan, taking a deep breath as Calista rushed over.

"Uncle!" Calista stood by his side, looking to his shoulder. "Are you…?"

"I'm okay." Arganan managed, looking to his niece. "I can fix it."

Mirania looked towards the crowd, as well as the direction Asthar and Zangurak rushed off in. "What about Zangurak? Do you think…?'

"He'll probably try to escape town." Arganan chuckled, looking to Calista and Mirania. "Though…knowing Asthar, he'll probably catch him and send him to the police station. It's fair to say that your engagement with Zangurak, Calista, is definitely called off."

Calista smiled, wrapping her arms around her uncle and hugging him. Arganan nearly fell over again, but he recovered himself, hugging her as best as he could in return with his right arm, as the metal arm was a bit damaged. Mirania smiled, watching them both, then the crowd.

The potluck went well. Zangurak would be brought to justice, and…

Oh.

Mirania's face fell.

She didn't have anything else to do here, did she?

She'd have to go home. Soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading the fic so far! I appreciate your views and reviews a lot, and I'm glad you all continued this journey with me through the fic. Next chapter is most likely going to be the last one, so I hope you join me in the finale of this fic!


	16. Midnight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s the final chapter, everyone! Thank you all so much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed reading this fic as much as I enjoyed writing it!

This was it.

Mirania was going home. The inventor made the machine to take her back. Zangurak had been arrested and tried for his crimes, the police had basically come clean with their past involvement in the riots, with others vying for reform, and, as a result, Zesha and Zepha ended up taking over the mafia Zangurak once led.

Mirania was happy that both brothers got the chance to make a better change compared to what they did years ago, and

"A question, Arganan…" The nature mage took a deep breath, before yawning. "Did we really have to do this at midnight?"

"Midnight was when the Sorceress went back to her world." Arganan explained, polishing some of the controls on the machine with a clean cloth. "I figured…around midnight might be the same time you should be able to get back."

"I see."

Mirania couldn't help but gaze at the machine. It looked like a mini version of the Lazulis Cannon back in her world, to be honest, except it was less threatening-looking due to its much smaller size. "So…do I just stand in front of it and you use it on me?"

"Yes." Arganan turned to fully face her, taking a deep breath. "Are you ready? All you have to do, while standing in front of the machine, is to think of home."

"Okay."

Mirania thought of her friends back at home, back at the Lazulis where she came from. That had become home to her, to be fair, and she did deeply miss everyone there.

But what about the clockwork world? This world, that she was currently in?

"Will I…." Mirania hesitated, then swallowed. "Will I ever be able to come back here?"

Arganan frowned, before shaking his head. "I'm afraid not. I wish I knew how to make a device to…teleport, to other worlds, but I don't know how. The likelihood is that you won't be able to come back."

"Oh."

"Yeah." The inventor's lips twisted. "I…was hoping you wouldn't ask about that. For good reason."

There was a knock on the open door, and the two turned to see Zesha, Zepha, Calista, Therius, Ariela and Asthar enter.

Mirania stared. "What are all of you doing here…at midnight?"

Zesha offered her a soft grin. "Calista told me and my brother that you were leaving. It wouldn't be right of us to let you go without us saying goodbye."

"Agreed, as well as a thank you." Zepha continued, slowly inhaling, then exhaling. "Because you…you helped my brother when I couldn't. And you helped us deal with Zangurak and all. I know we haven't spoken much, but…I don't think words can express my gratitude especially."

Mirania offered them both a smile. "Thank you, both of you."

Asthar chuckled softly, eyes brightening. "It was good to have you around, Miss Mirania."

"Good to have you around too, Asthar." Mirania then looked to Calista and Ariela.

"I'll miss having you around." Ariela admitted, hugging Mirania briefly. "If you stayed a little longer, maybe I could show you how that solar gun works a bit more!"

"If we meet again, we can." Mirania smiled, hugging her back, before Calista suddenly hugged her. "Calista!?"

Calista was silent, still hugging her, before the nature mage heard the other woman whisper to her.

"Thank you. For everything."

Mirania hugged her in return, taking a deep breath.

"You're welcome, Calista."

Both of them pulled back, and Arganan looked to Mirania gently.

"Are you, uh, ready to go home?"

"Yeah…" Mirania then hugged him. The inventor nearly fell over, but didn't, and he hugged her back, chuckling softly.

"It's good to have you. And…" Arganan pulled back from her to face her properly, looking her in the eyes with his one good eye, "Um, I do hope this works. If it does…tell the others back in your world we said hello."

Mirania nodded, a soft chuckle escaping her. "I'll definitely do that, I promise."

She moved to stand in front of the machine, and Arganan moved to handle the controls, aiming it at her.

"Remember," Arganan spoke, "You need to think of home. Do you have a clear image in mind?"

Mirania nodded. "I do."

"Okay. You're going in three…"

Mirania closed her eyes.

"Two…"

She took a deep breath.

"One."

Exhale.

_Click._

* * *

"…"

"… _rania…?"_

" _ **Mirania!"**_

Mirania gasped, opening her eyes, only to stare upwards at a certain fire mage.

"Yurick…?" She grimaced afterwards. Her voice sounded a little hoarse.

"Mirania, you're awake!" It was Zael that came into her vision, both him and Yurick helping her sit up. It was only then that she realized she was in a hospital bed, in a plain looking room. This was most likely one of the rooms in the Lazulis Castle hospital wing, Mirania guessed.

"We found you in the castle courtyard just yesterday, and you've been out until now." It was Syrenne who spoke up, appearing in Mirania's vision too. "Where the hell were you?"

" _Wait!"_  Mirania held up a hand, her other hand holding her head. Her head felt a bit sore, and her vision blurred briefly. "Okay, can you…all of you…can you start from the beginning again? I'm sorry, I just…"

"No, it's okay." Lowell moved to stand by Mirania's bed, frowning faintly. "Mirania...you've been missing for  _three months_. We were all worried about you."

Calista sighed, also approaching them, lips twisting a bit. "I was…really worried. I even sent a search party out for you. Are you okay?"

"You sent out a  _what?"_  Mirania's eyes widened, looking to Calista and Lowell. "I was gone for  _that_  long? It wasn't a dream….?"

"Wait, what?" Yurick blinked. "Y-you thought you were…sleeping the whole time…?"

"I don't remember how I got to there, but…all I remember before getting there was falling asleep in my room." Mirania's eyebrows furrowed as she recalled Arganan finding her for the first time, back when she first appeare din that clockwork world. "The reason I was gone, it's because I was in another world the whole time!"

"What!?" Zael stared, the wielder of the Outsider's jaw dropping. "What do you mean, you went to another world!?"

"It's exactly as I just said, Zael!" Mirania got out of bed, stretching her arms in front of her as she looked to the others. "I  _was_  in another world. That's why you couldn't find me the whole time!"

"You were in another world for….three months?" Syrenne looked just as shocked as the others. "No wonder none of us could find you!"

"What was it like?" Calista immediately asked. Everyone knew that the last descendant of Arganan yearned to see other places, and perhaps that included other worlds.

Mirania looked to her, taking a deep breath, straightening herself. She knew she'd have a lot to explain, and it looked like she'd have to do it sooner than she hoped. "Well…"

Before she could speak, however, someone else spoke up.

"Well,  _I_ was there in that world. That's one thing."

Mirania whirled around, eyes widening to see who it was.

"A-Asthar…?"

The incubus stood there, in the flesh. He smiled, leaning back against the wall as he faced her and the others. "It hasn't been too long since I've seen you….isn't that right, Miss Mirania?"

Zael's eyes widened. "G-General Asthar…?"

"No,  _no,_  not him." Mirania quickly corrected, looking from Asthar to Zael. "He's…a friend I made, back in the clockwork world I just started telling you about. Wait," She looked to Asthar, walking over to him, "What are you doing here!? Why… _how_ …"

"I used the same machine you did." Asthar managed, looking to her gently. "I followed you all the way back here. I wanted to make sure you got back home safely."

"But, what Arganan said back there about not being able to get back," Mirania continued, "will you be able to get back to  _your_  world, Asthar?!"

"He figured it out…but he only made one device." He took something out of his inner coat pocket, and Mirania gazed at the item in his hand—a pocketwatch, but there were several clock faces on it instead of just one. "I can use this to get back home any time…I think. It's a work in progress, and I  _do_  hope it works. I do have another device on me to use, to keep in contact with the others back in my world in case things go awry."

"What the…" Syrenne stared, looking from Asthar, to Mirania, "So, hold up, you're…you're a  _different_  Asthar than the one we know?"

"That's exactly it." Asthar managed, looking to her and offering her a grin. "I know I'm an incubus and all, but I hope you don't mind me hanging around for a while."

"A while?" Mirania frowned. "Asthar…what do you mean by that?"

A sheepish chuckle escaped him, and he looked to her. The expression on his face, however, was far from jolly. "I came here for more than just visiting, unfortunately."

He bit his lower lip, briefly, before saying words that she would dread in the near, near future.

"There's something threatening my world….and, Miss Mirania, I think we'll need _your help_ to stop it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading this fanfic! It’s thanks to your reading and reviewing this fic that gave me the motivation to finally finish this fic.
> 
> Before you all ask, YES there will be a sequel to this fanfic! XD I enjoyed writing this so much, and I would love to write more continuing on from this fic! However, due to other writing projects I’m currently working on, the sequel probably won’t be posted until later this year. Then again, depending on the writing muse as well as how much the rest of my time other than writing allows, I could be entirely wrong about that and end up starting to post the sequel as soon as possible. We’ll see!
> 
> I look forwards to writing the sequel as well as other future writing projects, and I hope you all look forwards to those as well!


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